Kirkpatrick’s rise is particularly notable because she reportedly began her freshman season in defence. Ottawa coach Kevin Olesen said moving her higher up the pitch allowed the team to make better use of her technical ability.
“With her overall skills we'd be underutilising her talent having her play in the defensive third,” Olesen said.
That change appears to have transformed Kirkpatrick from a promising defender into the player connecting Ottawa’s phases. Her role involved receiving possession, moving the ball quickly and helping the Pirates switch from defence to attack. The reported numbers underline her influence, but her value went beyond finishing chances.
The strongest attacking relationship came with forward Chloe Carmona, whose movement gave Kirkpatrick a clear target when Ottawa advanced. The report says Carmona scored 53 goals, with Kirkpatrick frequently spotting runs before the final pass was played.
“I knew if I could put the ball in a space that only she could get to it, that it was probably going to end up a goal or at least a really good scoring chance,” Kirkpatrick said.
That understanding gave Ottawa a reliable route through tight matches. Kirkpatrick’s reported contribution included four three-goal games and seven matches with both a goal and an assist, while the Pirates finished with a programme-record 17 wins.
The award reflects both personal production and a wider team breakthrough. Kirkpatrick reportedly earned Interstate 8 All-Conference recognition, but the postseason title may prove the more meaningful achievement for a programme still building its identity.
The next challenge will be sustaining that standard. Opponents are likely to prepare more carefully for Kirkpatrick and Carmona, making their continued development-and Ottawa’s ability to find new attacking solutions-the next storyline to watch.