Franklin junior Erica Buening (15) scored 15 goals in 2021, and already has 10 through the first seven matches this season.
Daily Journal file photo
Erica Buening’s two favorite sports, unalike as they may be, incorporate some of the same terminology when it comes to generating points.
The junior midfielder for Franklin’s girls soccer team has both led the break and connected from the outside — much the way she has as a starter for a Grizzly Cubs basketball team that is 50-5 over the last two years.
Buening has already scored 10 goals and assisted on four others in the soccer team’s first seven matches this season.
Impressive statistical input from someone whose athletic focus the majority of her summer vacation is travel basketball.
Buening entered the season with a total of 20 career goals in the first half of her varsity soccer career. Thus, the success she’s having this season isn’t surprising, even with the graduation of former teammates Mollie Hill (now playing at Marian University) and goalkeeper Addie Marshall (currently at Butler).
“Playing varsity the previous two years was helpful,” the 5-foot-9 Buening said. “My freshman year I knew most of the girls, so it was an easy transition for me. The bond I had with them only grew as we got older.”
Franklin opened the season earlier this month with an 8-1 defeat of visiting Jennings County, a match in which Buening accounted for six goals. She followed that up with both of the Cubs’ goals in a shootout loss against Greenwood.
“For the past few matches, Emma Williams has been up top with me,” Buening said. “Occasionally, I do get some single coverage, but having patience is important because soccer is such a long game.”
Buening, who can use her frame to block out opposing players beneath the basket in hoops, benefits in soccer as well.
“Erica doesn’t have Mollie there to help with the separation, so she’s kind of having to do a lot of it on her own,” Grizzly Cubs coach Michael Pierson said. “The physicality, the teamwork, the spacing, it all correlates into basketball and soccer.
“Her physicality makes her a difficult guard right now. She can hold off every defender, and she’s got a powerful kick.”
Buening is one of four team captains for Franklin this season, joining defender Morgan Harvey and midfielder Williams, both seniors, and sophomore defender Izzy Traut.
Each brings her own brand of positivity to the group.
“Erica is a by-example player,” Pierson said. “She’s no-nonsense, toughness and 100% heart. And you don’t have to ask her twice.”
This is vital for a young team looking to make strides as the season progresses; Franklin took a 1-6 record into Wednesday’s match at Perry Meridian and hosts county rival Center Grove tonight.
Buening takes her role as a leader seriously.
“I think this season I’ve improved on my passing and when it comes to communicating with my teammates on the field,” Buening said. “It’s necessary to sometimes remind them to look forward to the next match.
“Sometimes it’s tough to get that energy going in practice after a loss, but I feel we can bounce back pretty quickly.”
