GSOC Undefeated Indoor Champs

Off-season is In

MHS girls' soccer shows off their newly earned Champions
shirts along with Coach Josh Caruthers.

Last night, the girls' soccer team capped off an undefeated indoor season with a 4-1 win over Berkshire to claim the championship at SPIRE institute.  2017 regular season Golden Boot winner, Alyssa Caruthers, started the scoring in the first five minutes to give the Blue Streaks the lead after latching on to a well played pass from goalkeeper Sydnie Luyando.  Caruthers would go on to find the back of the net twice more to complete her hat-trick and put the game out of reach.

Berkshire fought until the end and capitalized on some defensive confusion to find a goal of their own.  The goal came as a surprise as Luyando had been steadfast between the posts with many point-blank saves.  Any momentum that was to be gained from the breakthrough quickly dissipated, however, when Jordan Pasalaqua ran onto a Caruthers through ball and slotted home the last goal of the game.

In their twelve game run to the title, the Blue Streaks allowed only five goals and recorded eight shut outs.  The rock solid defense was bolstered by the senior leadership of Ireland Bittner, Paige Fellows and Chrissy Kurilec.  Every defender to take the field made it their personal goal to ensure the regular goalkeeper, Pasalaqua, had very little to do.

Offensively, the team did not disappoint.  Caruthers (16-10) led the team in scoring on their way to a 59 goal final tally.  Maddie Shires (9-6) and Hava Gasi (9-2) were the next largest contributors on the offensive end of the field.  Shires' clean give-and-go passes and superb outside shooting got her name on the score sheet, whereas Gasi made regular habit of finding the ball in dangerous places and finishing off the shot just as the opposing keeper believed the ball would fall safely into their hands.

The future is, seemingly, just as bright.  Rising freshmen Autumn Warren, Emily Moran and Haylee Winfield were brought on to round out the numbers of a team otherwise made up of only current high school players.  Together, the trio accounted for seven goals and eight assists during their first journey into high school soccer.  Moran (0-3) and Winfield (6-4) were regulars at the attacking end of the field as they found ways to mesh with the already established play styles of the returning high school veterans.  Warren, however, spent her time on the defensive end undeniably contributing to the team's stellar defensive record.  In the face of area high school varsity competition, she refused to be intimidated or back down and let signature physical play repel all oncoming attacks.

The first round of indoor in 2017 was exciting to watch and will have fans eager to see the next session begin.  Meanwhile, their coach will be, not so patiently, counting down the days until August 1st.