Athlete of the Week: Lila Dere

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Lila Dere has dominated the Western Slope soccer scene since high school. Our Athlete of the Week graduated from Fruita Monument, scoring more than 30 goals as a senior. Now two years later, Dere is still putting up huge numbers on the pitch, this time as a Colorado Mesa Maverick.

In 11 games this season, Dere has 13 goals. She leads the RMAC in pretty much everything –– shots, goals, shots on target, game-winning goals, and more.

She’s the first Maverick with double-digit goals in a season since 2009, and she’s still just a redshirt freshman.

“Lila’s a pure natural goal scorer,” says Mavs head coach Megan Remec. ‘She’s in her element when she’s close to the goal and has the ball on her foot, so our job is to try and get her in those positions as often as we can.”

Coach Remec credits a strong midfield with helping Dere become the conference’s leading goal-scorer. When opposing defenses are forced to press the CMU midfielders, that leaves the forwards open to do their damage.

Dere says that after every goal, she always makes sure to credit those teammates who helped set it up.

“I wouldn’t be able to finish many of the goals I score without them,” she explained. “They are perfect passes, and a lot of them are so easy to score it would be embarrassing if I missed them. So I want to give credit to them too, cause they are amazing players.”

CMU women’s soccer has won five straight games, and are currently tied for first in the RMAC. Coach Remec tells us that team chemistry is the number one reason for their success.

“I’ve yet to see a team go far that doesn’t connect and support each other,” she says. “I think it’s a great mark of a great team.”

The Mavericks host Colorado Christian on Friday, with just five games left in the regular season.

Copyright 2021 KJCT. All rights reserved.