Munar tackles all
challenges at Neuqua Valley
By Matt Le Cren
As the youngest of four siblings, Paige Munar learned early on to hold her own.
The Neuqua Valley senior is one of the toughest prep players around and it all goes back to battling her older brothers, who played soccer at Downers Grove North.
Blayne, 28, was a goalkeeper in high school, while Jordan, 26, played in the midfield and later ran track at Nebraska and UIC. Though she was nearly a decade younger, Munar didn't back down.
“I do admit that I started playing soccer because of my older brothers,” Munar said. “Even though I was a defender, I was still able to shoot on my brothers, because at our old house we had a goal set up, so that was fun.
“Sometimes with Jordan I would play in the hallways. I would shove him off the ball, try to get the ball from him.”
The Ball State-bound Munar has been trying to get the ball away from people ever since. She succeeds more often than not, so much so that Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau paid her what may be the ultimate compliment.
“Any varsity boys team would love to have her as a center back, because she tackles so hard,” Moreau said. “You don’t see that every often in the girls game.
“She’s a very hard worker and on the field, she is very tough. She’s fearless, and she’s good in the air, too. She’s not afraid to head the ball, which is a dying breed in soccer.”
Munar’s fearlessness is nothing new. It was evident from the time she started playing club for Eclipse 10 years ago.
“I was really able to go against tough competition and all my dad would ever say is, ‘Just make sure you get up quickly enough,’” Munar said. “I go into these tackles and get up quick and am able to get the ball.”
There is video evidence of this.
“My dad and I were looking at some old footage from when I started,” Munar said. “I could already see that I kept tackling and getting into situations and being the one that would come out of it unharmed. That’s how I usually play.”
Munar is by no means a dirty player, but she is determined. When you’re willing to sacrifice your body in a 50-50 challenge or the middle of a free-for-all and come up with the ball on a regular basis, teammates are inspired and opponents frustrated.
Those assets are especially valued in a center back. Munar uses them in her own penalty box and to defend set pieces. Being left-footed is another advantage.
Moreau believes that will give Munar an advantage at Ball State, where she could see action as early as this fall.
“At the college level, you play so hard,” Moreau said. “It’s a much more physical game than high school or high-level club, so she’s going to fit right in being able to play hard and physical.
“She was a lot more fit this year coming into camp than she had been. She will contribute at Ball State.”
Few freshmen start right away at the Division I level, especially on defense. Naperville North alums Kayla Sharples and Katelyn Buescher are two notable exceptions. Sharples started every game of her four-year career at Northwestern and now plays for the Chicago Red Stars. Buescher, now a sophomore at Illinois, cracked the lineup for the Illini in her first season.
Munar has the chops to see action right away.
“In college, the closer you are to the goal the less chance you play when you’re younger,” Moreau said. “For her to play right away would be interesting because you don’t see many freshmen who are starting on the backline or in goal.
“Usually in their sophomore or junior year is when they start getting on the field. For instance, (former Neuqua star) Megan Oyster didn’t play until her junior year at UCLA.”
Oyster is now a starting defender for the Seattle Reign.
While no one has predicted a pro career for Munar, her future is bright on and off the field. The aspiring physical therapist is happy that she will play college soccer and credits playing for Neuqua for rejuvenating her love for soccer. She contemplated giving up the sport a few years ago.
“It was a great experience,” Munar said. “I had a rough patch in club soccer and just going into the high school experience and understanding how all the girls are so close to each other and are actually a team, it helped me to (continue) playing soccer.
“I love the traditions that they have and how each girl holds each other accountable, and how Moreau coaches. It just really raised my spirits and made me want to keep on playing.”
Munar joined the Wildcats as a sophomore and played a starring role her junior year. The start of her senior season is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, but her final year of high school has already been a success.
“(When she played club), sometimes I would not be able to go to football games because I would have to travel early the next day to a tournament,” Munar said. “This year I was able to (take part in) the multicultural show, and I joined the athletic training club.”
That last activity ended up playing a big role in her choosing Ball State. The faculty sponsor, Denise Alder, is a Ball State alum.
“When I was considering Ball State, I asked her for her advice and all she said about Ball State was good things,” Munar said. “That helped my decision wanting to go there for physical therapy.”
An official visit to the Muncie, Ind., campus sealed the deal.
“I noticed how much the coaches worked together and how much they all cared about the girls there,” Munar said. “I never saw any flaws in their system, and their current players are very friendly.”
As for Munar’s brothers, they too, notice her strengths.
“It’s pretty rare (that they get to see me play) but whenever they do, they make sure I stay level-headed, criticize everything I do,” Munar said. “But sometimes when I get a good tackle in, they will make a comment about it. They’ll be like, ‘Good tackle.’”
challenges at Neuqua Valley
By Matt Le Cren
As the youngest of four siblings, Paige Munar learned early on to hold her own.
The Neuqua Valley senior is one of the toughest prep players around and it all goes back to battling her older brothers, who played soccer at Downers Grove North.
Blayne, 28, was a goalkeeper in high school, while Jordan, 26, played in the midfield and later ran track at Nebraska and UIC. Though she was nearly a decade younger, Munar didn't back down.
“I do admit that I started playing soccer because of my older brothers,” Munar said. “Even though I was a defender, I was still able to shoot on my brothers, because at our old house we had a goal set up, so that was fun.
“Sometimes with Jordan I would play in the hallways. I would shove him off the ball, try to get the ball from him.”
The Ball State-bound Munar has been trying to get the ball away from people ever since. She succeeds more often than not, so much so that Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau paid her what may be the ultimate compliment.
“Any varsity boys team would love to have her as a center back, because she tackles so hard,” Moreau said. “You don’t see that every often in the girls game.
“She’s a very hard worker and on the field, she is very tough. She’s fearless, and she’s good in the air, too. She’s not afraid to head the ball, which is a dying breed in soccer.”
Munar’s fearlessness is nothing new. It was evident from the time she started playing club for Eclipse 10 years ago.
“I was really able to go against tough competition and all my dad would ever say is, ‘Just make sure you get up quickly enough,’” Munar said. “I go into these tackles and get up quick and am able to get the ball.”
There is video evidence of this.
“My dad and I were looking at some old footage from when I started,” Munar said. “I could already see that I kept tackling and getting into situations and being the one that would come out of it unharmed. That’s how I usually play.”
Munar is by no means a dirty player, but she is determined. When you’re willing to sacrifice your body in a 50-50 challenge or the middle of a free-for-all and come up with the ball on a regular basis, teammates are inspired and opponents frustrated.
Those assets are especially valued in a center back. Munar uses them in her own penalty box and to defend set pieces. Being left-footed is another advantage.
Moreau believes that will give Munar an advantage at Ball State, where she could see action as early as this fall.
“At the college level, you play so hard,” Moreau said. “It’s a much more physical game than high school or high-level club, so she’s going to fit right in being able to play hard and physical.
“She was a lot more fit this year coming into camp than she had been. She will contribute at Ball State.”
Few freshmen start right away at the Division I level, especially on defense. Naperville North alums Kayla Sharples and Katelyn Buescher are two notable exceptions. Sharples started every game of her four-year career at Northwestern and now plays for the Chicago Red Stars. Buescher, now a sophomore at Illinois, cracked the lineup for the Illini in her first season.
Munar has the chops to see action right away.
“In college, the closer you are to the goal the less chance you play when you’re younger,” Moreau said. “For her to play right away would be interesting because you don’t see many freshmen who are starting on the backline or in goal.
“Usually in their sophomore or junior year is when they start getting on the field. For instance, (former Neuqua star) Megan Oyster didn’t play until her junior year at UCLA.”
Oyster is now a starting defender for the Seattle Reign.
While no one has predicted a pro career for Munar, her future is bright on and off the field. The aspiring physical therapist is happy that she will play college soccer and credits playing for Neuqua for rejuvenating her love for soccer. She contemplated giving up the sport a few years ago.
“It was a great experience,” Munar said. “I had a rough patch in club soccer and just going into the high school experience and understanding how all the girls are so close to each other and are actually a team, it helped me to (continue) playing soccer.
“I love the traditions that they have and how each girl holds each other accountable, and how Moreau coaches. It just really raised my spirits and made me want to keep on playing.”
Munar joined the Wildcats as a sophomore and played a starring role her junior year. The start of her senior season is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, but her final year of high school has already been a success.
“(When she played club), sometimes I would not be able to go to football games because I would have to travel early the next day to a tournament,” Munar said. “This year I was able to (take part in) the multicultural show, and I joined the athletic training club.”
That last activity ended up playing a big role in her choosing Ball State. The faculty sponsor, Denise Alder, is a Ball State alum.
“When I was considering Ball State, I asked her for her advice and all she said about Ball State was good things,” Munar said. “That helped my decision wanting to go there for physical therapy.”
An official visit to the Muncie, Ind., campus sealed the deal.
“I noticed how much the coaches worked together and how much they all cared about the girls there,” Munar said. “I never saw any flaws in their system, and their current players are very friendly.”
As for Munar’s brothers, they too, notice her strengths.
“It’s pretty rare (that they get to see me play) but whenever they do, they make sure I stay level-headed, criticize everything I do,” Munar said. “But sometimes when I get a good tackle in, they will make a comment about it. They’ll be like, ‘Good tackle.’”