The girls’ soccer team has experienced some ups and downs throughout their season this spring. With a record of 8-9, the girls have continued to build on their team’s talent and aspire to achieve their goals as the season draws to a close.

“We have been through a lot of trials, but I hope that they will make us much stronger next year and that we can pick up where we left off this season,” junior wide midfielder Helen Wiley said.

This season has been full of triumphs and tough, hard-fought losses.

“I think that we have had ups and downs,” junior midfielder Alison Bayly said. “There have been exciting goals and frustrating losses. All of the games have been really close this year.”

The team’s best moments have come when they work cohesively and put forth admirable effort during games.

“My favorite memory from the season so far was the Rosati-Kain game because we played with so much energy and everyone was clearly having a lot of fun,” Bayly said.

Wiley agrees that, even with such a demanding season and an exhausting sport, soccer can be intense and fun at the same time.

“I think my favorite memories of soccer are always when we manage to have fun while playing the game,” Wiley said.

The team has been led by junior captain Alison Bayly and senior captain Sonja Petermann.  The two have proved extremely valuable to this young, growing team. In fact, Petermann is the only senior on the team this year.

“This team is much younger than teams in the past have been,” Bayly said.

Last year’s graduating class left the team with many important spots to fill.

“In fact, half of the girls were seniors,” Wiley said. “This year we have a very young team that is generally quiet but has a lot of developing talent.”

This team has carried over some aspects from last year’s team, which played in the district championship game, but has also developed a unique identity.

“I think that a lot of the culture of last year’s team has tied over to this year but we still have a very different group of girls,” Wiley said. “Last year’s team was very vocal with many dominating personalities.”

The girls remain confident and driven, even as the season’s final games approach.

“I think that the team has developed quite a bit over the course of the season, but that our real success will come when we outwork a team for an entire game,” Wiley said.

The team also continues to set goals, which they hope to achieve by the end of this season.

“I think the team needs to work on communication and keeping up the intensity level in games,” Wiley said.

One strength of this year’s girls’ soccer team is the versatility and talent of its athletes.

“Although we are a young team, we have a lot of depth in a lot of positions,” Bayly said.

The team has relied on several strong talents to carry them through this season, including forwards Meg Sutter and Karley Woods, midfielder Alison Bayly, defenders Allison O’Neal and Katie Marvel, and goalie Bree Northern, among other skilled athletes.

“I think that there are a lot of great natural athletes on the team,” Bayly said.

Fortunately, many of these players are juniors and sophomores, and will continue to play next year.

“With the exception of Sonja’s leaving and a few new additions next year, the team will be comprised of a very similar group of people,” Wiley said. “This has been a growing year for our team.”

Bayly also cites the youth of the team as a potential asset, rather than a drawback.

“We are only losing one player, so hopefully our team will be able to grow even more as a unit,” Bayly said. “It will only be to our advantage that we are keeping a similar team, because we are really improving together.”

Several sophomores on the team have been particularly helpful, and have stepped up into significant roles as the season has progressed.  One example is sophomore Karley Woods, who stands out as a dominant force on the soccer field.  Her ability to maneuver the ball and her inexhaustible energy have brought intensity and talent to the team.

“Everyone has their individual strengths on the team but Karley Woods is one of the strongest players on the team,” Wiley said.

With this wide base of talent, the team is beginning to anticipate the end of the season, particularly district play.

“Most of the teams that we have played so far this year and that we will see again in districts are at a similar level,” Bayly said.

However, the team is still focused on the present, and will continue to take a measured approach as the end of the season draws near.

“Right now we are concentrating on making it through the regular season by being successful in our final games,” Wiley said. “We are really taking things one step at a time.”