Lauren Gottlieb is a fixture in goal for Deerfield, which embraced that possibility early on: ‘We trusted her’

Deerfield junior goalkeeper Lauren Gottlieb has long since beaten the timetable she had in mind for her high school soccer career.

Nearly two years ago, when she was a freshman, Gottlieb was a surprise addition to the starting lineup for the Warriors’ Class 2A sectional quarterfinal against Carmel.

Gottlieb said neither she nor her parents had any idea that Deerfield coach Rich Grady might start her, even after her promotion from the junior varsity team.

“Right after JV season ended, coach Grady always has a tradition to pull up people from the JV team,” Gottlieb said. “Coming to practices in itself was a cool opportunity. I did my best, but I didn’t think I would play.”

Grady let her know about an hour before the Warriors played Carmel.

“We had a meeting before the game in a classroom, and he pulled me out of the room and started chatting, saying ‘You are going to start today,’” Gottlieb said. “I said, ‘What?’ I walked back into the room, but only the captains knew about it, not the rest of the team. A couple of minutes later, he told everybody I was starting. I was just ready to go sit on the bench.”

In Deerfield’s 3-2 victory, Gottlieb displayed many of the characteristics that have come to define her career as she became a fixture in the net for the Warriors (5-1-1). She said she wasn’t fazed by the moment.

“I was definitely nervous, but then again, I had been playing this sport my whole life,” she said. “I knew what to do. This game was nothing different. Obviously, it was a high-stakes game, but it was just a soccer game, a game I love to play.”

Gottlieb, who also started in Deerfield’s 2-1 win against Prairie Ridge in the sectional semifinal and its 2-0 loss to St. Viator in the sectional final, said her three-game experience was invaluable. She had hoped to become the starter during her sophomore season.

“That freshman (playoffs) taught me how to adapt to unexpected situations, just the ability to get along with a new group of people in a short span of time,” Gottlieb said. “I remember once the playoffs were done, it felt like I was on the varsity team for the whole season. They made me a part of a great community.”

Grady said he wasn’t worried about playing a freshman without any varsity experience. He had seen what Gottlieb could do in practices.

“All the other girls are like, ‘Are you seeing what we are seeing?’” Grady recalled. “She was really dominant, showing some of the same things we see right now: athletic, intense and a great competitor. All of those things jumped out.”

Deerfield junior midfielder Jessie Fisher said Gottlieb belonged on a bigger stage.

“I was just so happy for her because I know how exciting it was, especially for a freshman to have that opportunity,” Fisher said. “I think, as a team, we trusted her ability to play as soon as she stepped on the field. She had the skill. At that point, it was all up to her confidence and mentality. Lauren proved she had it without any doubts.”

In her sophomore season, Gottlieb’s solid play between the pipes sparked the second-best season in program history. She recorded 16 shutouts, allowing 0.88 goals per game, as the Warriors recorded 23 victories and earned a third-place trophy at state.

She added another historic trip to state before this season. A reserve guard/forward, Gottlieb played a minor role in the Deerfield girls basketball team’s run to the state semifinals. The Warriors placed fourth in Class 3A, affording Gottlieb a unique perspective with two appearances at state within nine months.

“It was really cool to see people talking about it and seeing people so invested in us and supporting us,” she said.

Grady said Gottlieb, who has allowed just eight goals while recording two shutouts this season, is a rock in the net.

“It’s always important to have a solid goalkeeper,” he said. “It gives you peace of mind.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.