The girls’ JV soccer team kicked off their season on home turf with a victory of 3-1 against Clarksburg on Sept. 9. This game was the first time the girls’ skills have been put to the test against an opposing team and it was made clear by their performance that their practice has paid off. The team stayed composed and had two goals before the second half even started. “I think everyone did very well, we communicated a lot which overall led us to beating Clarksburg,” sophomore captain Rizel Serrano said.
Following Monday’s victory, the girls faced a loss of 3-1 against Westminster on Sept. 10. The girls found themselves keeping the ball in the middle of the field rather than clearing it to their outside wings where there was open space. Despite the outcome of this game, the team has potential for a successful season and next couple of games. “Even though we lost, it was overall a well-played game with some unlucky goals. I still had a lot of fun playing and getting even closer with my teammates,” sophomore Ayla Khorsand said.
On Sept. 12 the team played Northwood and won with a final score of 2-0. They had a strong lead for most of the game and showed improvement after their last game. “We changed what we needed to in order to win this game and everything went very just like we wanted it to,” Khorsand said.
Coach Adrian Unger has returned to coaching JV after becoming the girls’ varsity coach when he was needed during the 2018-2019 season. This year’s team stands out to Unger in terms of quantity and grade level of his players. “The current squad is the largest and has the most freshmen that I have ever coached before with 24 total and 20 freshmen,” Unger said.
Despite the unusual freshmen majority, the girls have been able to form a strong bond on and off of the field. Sophomore captain Nicole Jezek is happy with the friendships that she has made through the team and the positivity that everyone has been spreading during games and even practices. “The spirit we all showed together throughout the school day really helped us play as a team when game time came,” Jezek said.
The players have committed to practice every day after school, other than game days, and are still learning how to balance this busy schedule with school work and other activities. “I have been a lot busier than I usually am during the school year, but it is worth it to be a part of such a fun team,” freshman Caroline Carver said.
