photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury senior Josie Kim turns a corner toward the goal in a 5-1 win over Maranatha Christian at Bishop Seabury Academy on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lawrence.

The Bishop Seabury girls soccer team beat Maranatha Christian 5-1 on Monday for the fourth win of the season, surpassing its 2024 win total.

This season, the Seahawks (4-3) have the depth and talent at the top of the roster to carry them into the postseason.

“We were really short on players last year — a couple of times we had to play with only 10 players,” Bishop Seabury coach Ivo Ivanov said. “This year, we have 16 players, which gives us a full bench. It allows us to have girls catch their breath, and that makes a big difference.”

Freshman Macy Ankenbauer scored the opening goal, and senior Josie Kim followed her up later in the first half. After 40 minutes, the Seahawks led 2-0.

Ivanov called Kim “unstoppable” when it comes to scoring. Her footwork allows her to slip through defenses and push the ball upfield. Kim, a team captain, has seen the team through some ups and downs since she started at Bishop Seabury in sixth grade. The growth and potential for the team are exciting, and she’s happy to be leaving the program on an upswing.

“Knowing that we’re leaving with so many capable players is really uplifting,” Kim said. “I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Ankenbauer is one of the few differences from last year’s team, and she’s added a lot to the Seahawks. Ivanov said there was “a chasm in the midfield” for a couple of seasons, and Ankenbauer filled that spot immediately.

The duo of Ankenbauer and Kim has been game-changing for the Seahawks. Last year, as Kim switched from defense to forward, she took on the team’s main scoring role. While she found success, it wasn’t easy, as there wasn’t another forward to complement her scoring.

“She’s definitely a beacon of hope for me,” Kim said. “We just kind of knew from the get-go that we had to take on more leadership roles on the team, and we decided it would be better to do that together than individually. We’re honest with each other and work well together, and it’s great to have that senior-freshman dynamic.”

Kim scored her second goal at the start of the second half, and sophomore Isabella Gonzalez followed her up shortly after with a fourth goal for the Seahawks. Kim almost had another, but the goal was called back for offsides.

Gonzalez’s speed has helped open up defenses, adding an extra layer to the Seahawks’ offense this year. The team works to get her the ball on the outside, stretching the defense in the middle and giving Ankenbauer and Kim more space to work in the middle of the field.

Late in the half, Maranatha Christian scored its only goal, but Ankenbauer scored her second goal in the final minutes to give Bishop Seabury the 5-1 win.

Kim said the team has been more offensive-minded this year than in previous seasons. That’s helped the team build momentum within games, which has helped them get the wins they’ve had.

“It keeps the spirits high,” Kim said. “It’s been a lot of fun — we’ve been able to put a lot away, and we’re really proud of that.”

The win was the fourth of the season with six games left. Ivanov said the Seahawks have tried to build around Xeva Oldridge on defense, and Kim and Ankenbauer on offense. Those three and the team’s supplemental play around them have helped the Seahawks find the success they’ve had.

“This has been the mission from the beginning of the season,” Ivanov said. “We have a lot of players who are inexperienced, and we’re trying to build them around these experienced players. It’s been really encouraging this season.”

The Seahawks’ four wins have come by four or more goals, including a 6-0 win over Northland Christian on April 7, and the team’s losses have all come by one goal.

“We feel like we have a chance to win our conference,” Ivanov said. “We lost in overtime to Kansas City Christian — and that might’ve decided the conference — but we feel like we match up against everyone. I think we can double our win total from last year and maybe make some noise in the playoffs.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury senior Josie Kim, left, takes the ball around freshman teammate Macy Ankenbauer in a 5-1 win over Maranatha Christian at Bishop Seabury Academy on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury sophomore Eva Farmer takes the ball into the penalty area in a 5-1 win over Maranatha Christian at Bishop Seabury Academy on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury freshman Macy Ankenbauer takes the ball away from a defender in a 5-1 win over Maranatha Christian at Bishop Seabury Academy on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury senior Elise Hammann dribbles the ball near the corner of the pitch in a 5-1 win over Maranatha Christian at Bishop Seabury Academy on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury junior Xeva Oldridge kicks the ball in a 5-1 win over Maranatha Christian at Bishop Seabury Academy on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lawrence.