By Reese Silberfein ‘27 The Golda Och Academy Girls Varsity Soccer team finished the season with a record of 7-4 (7 wins and 4 losses) earning an impressive second place in the Colonial League. They first began their season weeks before school even started. Their preseason work was difficult; they came to school for practice, day in and day out.
The focus of the preseason was to get in pristine shape for the upcoming season. They worked on individual and team skill development, as some girls had never played soccer. In practice, the girls came to know their teammate's strengths and weaknesses, the coach, and how the team works together. Throughout their long practices, they had to run miles, practice drills and learn offensive and defensive plays. The team, coached by Mr. Cohen, is led by co-captains Talia Perlstein ‘24 and Cayla Mckay ‘25. The roster consists of three seniors, six juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen. The Roadrunners’ top scorer this season was junior Aly Biloon with 13 goals, and close behind is senior Talia Perlstien with 12 goals. This season's assists leaders were Aly Biloon with ten, and sophomore Maya Footerman with eight. This season was the story of a team that has improved and grown by leaps and bounds with new players and a positive attitude. Last year, the team lacked girls so they were forced to play 80 minutes of field time with no subs and only a small break during halftime. Injury plays a big part in a sports season, and as many girls sustained injuries, the number of players able to contribute last season lessened. Sophomore Marley Fischer said, “Our team this year is a lot stronger than last year. We have added a few talented players to our roster, which has helped our team improve. We have had so much fun growing as a team, and I'm excited for the rest of the season and years to come.” In a groundswell of support, all GOA upper school students and staff participated in a pep rally that ranged from the hyped gym to outside along the field where the team was cheered on during a game. This ruach and kehillah helped them win a tough game against Paine Tech 4-3. In addition to the regular season, the team had an amazing opportunity to play in a state tournament this year. They were the fifth seed, receiving a bye, and then playing an away game at Eastern Christian School. Although they suffered a tough loss, playing their final game against talented players and a challenging team was an incredible opportunity and experience for the entire team. The girls were able to develop their skills through competitions against other teams and players with higher skill sets. It allowed the team to learn new ways to improve their game for next season and spend a memorable last game together. After the final game, the girls gathered, reminiscing about the memories and bonds they had created throughout the season. Captain and senior Talia Perlstien delivered this message to the team for the following season: “While the game itself is fun, my favorite part is the team dynamic, spending time with different people across the high school. It’s a really good way to forge close bonds between grades. Though I’m sad that this is my last year playing for this team, I can’t wait to hear about all they will accomplish in future years.” Throughout the season, the team has become close-knit and understood how to work together, playing all kinds of teams. As Talia described, the bonds between grades also become more prominent in everyday school socialization in the halls and all school events. This team came from all different skill sets and grades to form a team that worked tirelessly over the season. The group may look different next season with new players, but the bonds and memories will continue. Comments are closed.
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EditorsArielle Karni Archives
December 2024
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