Danielle Tazic delivered under the weight of expectations.

From the outset of her high school career, pressure was placed upon her shoulders.

In his final season before taking over the boys team, coach Tony Pagorek called her the “new face of Andrean soccer” when Tazic was a freshman. She was described as the type of talent and presence the 59ers hadn't witnessed since the Masteller twins.

Tazic has followed that path, and then some. The Post-Tribune 2016 Girls Soccer Player of the Year closed her career by leading the 59ers to the Class A state title. Lindsey and Alyssa Masteller were seniors in 2004, when Lindsey was named player of the year.

“We would not have gotten the championship without her efforts this season,” Andrean coach Jeff Clapman said of Tazic. “No one means more to their team than she meant to ours.”

The senior midfielder spread the credit, including to the 59ers defense. Tazic finished this season with 23 goals and nine assists.

“My teammates and coaches really pushed me this season,” Tazic said. “The seniors, all the players, had the same mentality. For the whole team, winning state was a dream come true.”

Tazic had a breakout junior season, helping the 59ers win their first sectional and regional titles since 2004. She had 18 goals and seven assists, primarily at forward after having been a center midfielder her first two seasons.

She returned to being an attacking midfielder this season, further elevating her play.

“We obviously looked to her to score goals, but as her role evolved into more of a distributor of the ball, she gladly accepted it,” Clapman said.

“She understood exactly what we wanted the team to do. She played so unselfishly this season. She understood the larger team goal of making it to a state championship. She was willing to do whatever it took.”

In seven postseason games, Tazic had six goals and five assists. Her most memorable assist set up the first goal in the 59ers' 2-0 win over Lawrenceburg in the state championship game, with sophomore forward Alyssa Schichner converting. That combination developed into a familiar one.

“I liked playing attacking mid more and having Alyssa up top,” Tazic said. “I could find her up the field and continue running. It changed the game.”

Tazic will miss her teammates, having grown with them over the course of four seasons.

“As the years went by and this year went by, this season as a senior continued to mean more and more,” she said. “I was fortunate enough to play on such an amazing team. The bond we created helped us win state. We had each other's back on and off the field.”

After graduating from Andrean, Tazic will head to Minnesota State, where she has verbally committed. The two-year captain has left her mark with the 59ers.

“She was a vocal leader and became a coach on the field,” Clapman said. “There was a lot of pressure on her both on and off the field.

“I can't recall a game where she was not the target of the opposing team's defense, and she still found a way to either score or tally assists. She handled that responsibility perfectly.”

mosipoff@post-trib.com

Twitter @MichaelOsipoff