Lynden’s Evelyn Saldivar is one of the top goalscorers in the Northwest Conference this season, scoring 29 goals as of Thursday, Nov. 7. The 5-foot-5 senior soccer phenom has dominated this season because she likes to work off her teammates.
“We know how to play with each other and I want to do good for my team,” Saldivar said. “I always love going against these giant girls. They are big and intense but I love to go against them.”
Saldivar has been playing soccer since childhood, following in the footsteps of her parents and older sister. Since then, she has played for Northwest United and North County Alliance soccer clubs.
Saldivar and her teammates have played together year-round, utilizing their time together to build a successful season at Lynden. She led the Lions to a 17-2-1 but missed the state playoffs.
Besides scoring goals, Saldivar has stepped into a leadership role for the Lions’ squad.
“I like to rally everyone together and think of myself as a leader — but honestly, I am quiet,” Saldivar said. “I like to lead by example and put all my effort out on the field. I encourage everyone, get them to play at their best potential and tell my team to crush their souls at the beginning of games.”
When Saldivar is not leading by example, her teammates said, she brings laughter and a light-hearted mood to the field. Yet, Saldivar was not always the most outgoing member of the team. She said soccer has made her a stronger and more confident person, and helped her build lifelong friendships and connections.
One of those connections is with the University of Cumberlands soccer team, an NAIA school in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Saldivar will be playing with the Patriots next season and hopes to win the program’s second national title in school history.
Before Saldivar travels across the country, she has a few goals during her final months at Lynden. She wants to finish Running Start and receive her Associate of Arts degree.
“We have worked for this and every single one of us wants it,” Saldivar said. “We are all coming together to get these results.”
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Evelyn Saldivar was the top goalscorer in the Northwest Conference this season. Oak Harbor’s Addison Boyer is the leading goalscorer in the Northwest Conference at the time of publication, with 30 goals in the regular season and six so far in the postseason. The story was updated to reflect this change at 10:20 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2024. Cascadia Daily News regrets the error.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
