During her time with the Kiski Area girls soccer team, Ally Zidek made a significant impact. Now in her sophomore year at Washington & Jefferson, Zidek has continued to make an impact, collecting all-conference accolades. She is this week’s featured athlete for the Westmoreland Alum Q&A.

Zidek was a freshman with Kiski Area in the 2021 campaign, as the Cavaliers went 10-10-0 overall, including 7-5-0 in section play. As a result, Kiski Area qualified for the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, and defeated Connellsville Area in the first round. However, KA saw its season end with a loss to Montour in the quarterfinals.

The next year, the Cavaliers took a step back, posting an overall mark of 7-11-1, including 5-7-0 in the section. Although the Cavs returned to the WPIAL 3A postseason, Kiski Area fell to Plum in the opening round.

In 2023, Kiski Area achieved a mark of 7-9-2 on the season, including 5-5-2 in the section ledger. The Cavaliers advanced to the Class 3A playoffs, but once again lost to Plum in the first round.

As a senior in 2024, Zidek helped lead KA back to the playoffs. The Cavs went 6-10-1 overall, including 6-5-1 in section play. Kiski Area came up short against South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 3A first round, ending Zidek’s career in a Cavaliers uniform.

Zidek matriculated to Washington & Jefferson College last year, and she made immediate contributions. She started all 18 games on defense, registering a pair of assists and two shots. For her efforts, she was recognized as an All-PAC Honorable Mention. The Presidents compiled a mark of 6-9-3 overall, including 3-5-3 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), and failed to qualify for the conference tournament.

This season, Zidek has been in the starting lineup for all seven matches. Thus far, W&J has gone 3-4-0, including 1-1-0 in the PAC.

Ally set aside time from her schedule to field questions about her successful transition from high school to college soccer, which opponent she considered Kiski Area’s biggest rival, and the one meal she’d choose to eat every day for the rest of her life.

Q: How have you evaluated your play thus far this season?

A: So far this season, the backline as a whole has been focusing on staying composed and building out of the back, which we have been doing a very good job of. Ive been working on organization during our gameplay, which has brought a new element to my game and is bringing a successful season so far.

Q: You were an All-PAC performer as a freshman. How did you make such a quick transition to the college game?

A: As a freshman, a lot of our team was young and new to the college game, so being in the position I am, it was evident to step into a leadership role. The team as a whole was so welcoming, which made my transition extremely smooth and made playing the game fun! This calmed my mind, which allowed me to play the game the same way I always have, just at a higher pace.

Q: What were your areas of focus throughout the offseason?

A: During the offseason, I really focused on my fitness and ball work. When having three months off, the most important thing is keeping your fitness up, and technical ability strong. Being close to campus, I was also able to meet up with a couple other players on the team, which kept our connection strong, so we were all fluent when returning to the pitch in the fall.

Q: The vast majority of W&J's roster is from the WPIAL. Did you know any of your current teammates before you joined the program?

A: A lot of players on our team were from bigger schools, so I didn't necessarily play them. I did play a few schools like Elizabeth Forward, where I played against Rhyan Smith, Adysson Davis, and Leilana Speney. I also played Mount Pleasant, where I met Rylin Bugosh.

Q: What team and individual goals have you set for 2026?

A: For our team, our goal is to work hard every day and get some PAC wins. I personally would like to keep gaining experience and knowledge in my play, as well as work on my organization and leadership in the backline.

Q: What led to your decision to attend W&J?

A: When looking for a college, I wanted a place that felt like home. As soon as I stepped on W&J’s campus, I loved everything about it. The team dynamic and Dan's coaching style was exactly what I was looking for in a team. The strong academic and athletic balance W&J offered, and being able to pursue an amazing education while being on a competitive team, is what brought me here.

Q: What is your major, and ideal future profession?

A: My major is biomedical science with a minor in engineering foundations. I hope to pursue my master's degree in biomedical engineering.

Q: What has been your most challenging class thus far?

A: So far, my most challenging class was Calculus II.

Q: What was your fondest high school memory at Kiski Area?

A: My fondest high school memory at Kiski Area High School was my senior year of soccer. We were all such a close team, and it was such a great way to end my career at Kiski.

Q: Which team did you consider the biggest rival of the Cavaliers?

A: I consider Kiski Area's biggest rival to be Franklin Regional. Every time we played against them, it was always a hard fight and a physical match. I always looked forward to playing them, because I knew it brought the best side out of everyone on the team.

Q: High school soccer in Pennsylvania just adopted the elimination of overtime for regular season games. What is your reaction to that change?

A: I feel the elimination of overtime in regular season WPIAL games brings a good injury prevention to young high school players. The high school season being as chaotic as it is, I believe having fewer minutes on the players is a good step towards keeping them healthy, while also keeping strong competitive games.

Q: Do you use water, a sports drink, or something else during soccer?

A: During soccer, I always have both water and an electrolyte drink. My go to is usually Gatorade or BODYARMOR.

Q: What type of music or specific musicians do you listen to before a game?

A: Before a game, I listen to a mixture of different genres, but I listen mostly to rap or hype songs. My all-time favorite pregame song is Meet Me Halfway by the Black Eyed Peas.

Q: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: If I could eat one meal for the rest of my life, it would be grilled salmon and twice-baked mashed potatoes that my mother makes.

Q: What is a little-known fact about you or a hidden talent you possess?

A: A little-known fact about me is that I love everything banana flavored.