Girls’ Soccer Snags First Win of the Year
Last Saturday, red jerseys converged on the turf as girls hugged one another amidst applause and screams of celebration. Big Red girls’ soccer marked down their first win of the season against Deerfield, with a final score of a whopping 4-0. The squad put up a strong effort, worked well as a team and improved on their mistakes from last game, and it paid off well in the end.
Although not conveyed by the score, Saturday’s game was a tough one. The Deerfield squad was relentless, and the team only managed to hold them off with some strong defending and intelligent plays. “It was an awesome feeling being out there with all the girls,” upper Margaret Coogan said. “We knew we had to fight to hold our own against those girls. I think the team really came together on Saturday and started working together in really positive ways.”
This game also marked the first time that senior and captain Jacie Lemos was allowed to play more than ten minutes per half. Lemos’ play time was severely limited after being sidelined by a knee injury, but the team welcomed her back warmly and was thrilled to be able to play alongside her once again. “It’s awesome getting to play next to Jacie again,” Coogan said. “She’s such a positive teammate and such an amazing player.”
The girls’ soccer team started the game off strong and put in a ton of effort from the get-go. “The team came into the game with lots of energy and worked the entire first half for the lead and once we had it we battled to maintain it,” upper Hannah Gustafson said. “We improved upon our team attacking. We were using each other a lot more and passing the ball much better than in previous games.”
“We have so much talent on our team, and I know we are going to continue to improve.”
Gustafson added that “the toughest part of the game was staying mentally engaged in defense when we were up by 2 or 3 to nothing. I'm proud that the team kept the pressure up and was able net another goal close as we neared the final whistle.”
These changes, coupled with some outstanding performances from goalkeeper Veronica Galimberti and lower Jen Zecena, allowed the Exeter squad to outperform Deerfield and close the door on the rival squad. Zecena in particular had a great game, and her efforts drew praise from other members of the team. “One of our lowers, Jen, is a stud,” Coogan said. “She’s so tough. I love her.”
This victory bodes well for the team going forward in the season. Deerfield is a tough opponent, and the girls played well against them. Captain Bridget Higgins expressed her hopes for the rest of the season. “I hope that we continue to gain confidence as a team and individually. We have so much talent on our team, and I know we are going to continue to improve.”