Ephrata girls soccer returns 10 starters and four all-league players from a team that took fourth in the Central Washington Athletic Conference last year — the program's best finish since 2019.

"We felt good to finish fourth last season," said head coach Gary Klepec. "I feel good about this year's group."

The Lady Tigers will face top competition immediately. They open their 2026 campaign at home this Thursday, Sept. 3, with a 5 p.m. match against defending state 2A champion West Valley of Spokane, which beat Columbia River 1-0 in last November's title contest enroute to an unblemished 22-0 record.

The WV Eagles have lost only three matches in four years, a testimony to their program, but they did graduate nine seniors off the state title team.

Nonetheless, Klepec expects the opening matchup to be one of the Tigers' hardest tests this fall.

In 2025, Ephrata went 4-4 in league play, edging Ellensburg for fourth place in the CWAC standings. But late-season injuries piled up and the Lady Tigers were eliminated in two games in the District 5 2A tournament, losing 5-1 to top-seeded East Valley of Yakima and 4-1 to Ellensburg in a loser-out match.

Klepec said he is looking forward to challenging this year's squad to prevail in the contests that eluded them last season.

The Tigers only lost two starters to graduation, but they were good ones who now play collegiately. Lila Rainey, a forward who fell to injury midway through her senior season, is at Peninsula College while midfielder Delanie Killinger is at Spokane Falls Community College.

"That is what hard work does for you," Klepec said of the two. "We are proud as a program that we were able to get those girls to the next level."

But Ephrata returns a solid corps in 2026. The roster includes seniors Megan Truscott as the defensive captain and Brooklynn Sieverkropp, an honorable- mention all-CWAC selection as a junior and a second-team pick as a sophomore.

Among the Tiger juniors, midfielder Alexis St. Mary returns after earning second- team CWAC recognition last season. Aiyana Valle, an honorable mention pick, is back for her third season in goal. And Paige Murray, one of Ephrata's top scorers, was also honorable mention (although she will start this season sidelined with an ongoing injury). Other returnees include forwards Jillian Linehan and Aliyah Lafferty.

The team's sophomore class includes Brooklynne Addink (forward), Maycee Black (defender) and Sophie Molitor (midfield), who all started as freshmen, and forward Skarlett Sanchez.

Klepec is also watching the progress of four newcomers. Freshman Ellie Molitor comes in at midfield. Defenders include freshman Shannon Johnson, sophomore Kaitlyn Wolther, and senior Maddy Kellams, actually a returnee to the program after taking last year off.

Klepec said the coaching staff is still assessing formations which best suit the lineup. But the Lady Tigers’ overall approach remains unchanged — move the ball in possession, win it back mmediately, and finish well when scoring opportunities arise.

In a conference that boasts quality opponents.

"All teams in the CWAC are almost always strong programs," Klepec said. "We are one of the toughest leagues out there."

He expects the three teams that finished ahead of Ephrata last season to be competitive again. East Valley (Yakima) captured the league and district titles before advancing to the state tournament. Ellensburg reached state as the No. 5 seed last fall. And Othello looked solid at a jamboree in Moses Lake this summer.

The Lady Tigers also competed in two tournaments over the summer, several players attended camps, and several more participated in club programs, Klepec noted.

His coaching staff returns with assistant Diane Truscott and EHS Class of 2019 soccer standout Mya Spencer volunteering for the program.