More recently, she was in training camp with the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team and is currently with the National Team for a pair of friendlies against Japan.
Lavelle made an immediate impact for the Dutch Lions, scoring the first goal in the 4-2 season-opening victory over St. Louis Fire & Ice. She added an assist and was selected the Hope Springs Player of the Match.
“I am very excited to be back with DDL FC this summer and being able to play near home,” Lavelle, a Cincinnati native, said. “It’s a great opportunity to get on the field with some players I’ve grown up playing with and against. I’m looking forward to playing with some new faces as well.”
While the Lavelle is highly competitive — she was MVP of the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship — she is team focused.
“She is very humble and very modest – a coach’s dream,” Richardson “She’s a great addition to the roster and will elevate the level of our team on a daily basis.”
Richardson has surrounded Lavelle with additional Division I talent. The starting roster for the home opener included Wake Forest players Bayley Feist and Katie Ravenna, Lorina White (Ball State), Vanessa Gilles (University of Cincinnati), Katie Murray (University of Illinois), Ashley Woolpert (West Virginia University), Alex Steigerwald (Murray State) and the University of Dayton’s Meghan Blank.
“The squad is so strong,” Richardson said. “They play at a very high level.”
That will come in handy, as Lavelle will miss two road contests this weekend because of National Team matches.
“We have so much quality and so many players, we will be able to rotate bodies and rest players,” Richardson said of their Saturday and Sunday games.
Lavelle will likely be back for the Dutch Lions next home match on June 11.
Home sweet home: Both the Dynamo and Dutch Lions play Friday night home contests. The Dynamo host Kalamazoo FC at 7 p.m. at Welcome Stadium while the Dutch Lions kick off at 7:30 p.m. against the Michigan Bucks at the DOC Stadium at West Carrollton High School. Dutch Lions women's team will next play host on June 11 at 7 p.m. against the Columbus Eagles.
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