After finishing with an 8-8 record last year, the girls’ soccer team has come back strong this season. The team clinched the BCSL LIberty Division with a 4-3 win over Delran. The team stands at 12-4 record, with big wins against Holy Cross, Northern Burlington, Rancocas Valley, and Kingsway.
With the graduation of seven seniors last year and nine the year prior, the team has been in the rebuilding phase for the last two years. While Head Coach Brandon Bond said he anticipated some challenges, he is happy with how the team has responded.
“I thought one of the biggest challenges was going to be how personalities came together and how successful we were going to be in creating a team-first mindset,” Bond said.
Contributing to the team’s success is the rise of underclassmen stepping into big roles left behind by last year’s players. Bond expressed the importance of these new players, as well as the current upperclassmen taking over new roles as leaders.
“I think that we’ve done a nice job so far in doing that and that’s what’s exciting and that’s why we are having success,” Bond said. “And I think that’s going to be key to our future success.”
Coach Bond speaks to the team about their performance.
With only a few remaining games in the regular season, the girls are confident they can go far in the playoffs. According to junior Suri Horner, the team has many strengths.
“We’re different than them because we have Bailey and Shiloh up top and they’re like a dynamic duo and they can beat anybody,” Horner said. “And I definitely think our midfield and our attack is our strong suit and I feel like a lot of other teams are defensively strong, but not necessarily able to score goals.”
Last season the Pirates lost in the first round to Seneca. However, the girls believe this year they have a chance to make it farther than they have in years past.
“Our goals have always sort of been the same. We want to win games. We want to win the conference, we want to make it into the coach’s tournament, and hopefully make a run there,” Bond said. “And ultimately, every year we talk about winning a South Jersey title as our main goal.”
The team secured a spot in the Coaches’ Tournament but suffered a first round loss to Williamstown.
According to Horner, the team this year is very close and has great chemistry, which she said she thinks helps them maintain their success.
“I definitely think we are all super close, all of us have been saying how we all feel comfortable around each other and we have a lot of young freshmen on the team,” Horner said. “They feel comfortable asking for rides and just team dinners and stuff.”
Junior captain Bailey Coston agrees that their success can be attributed to the team’s ability to work together well.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with my friends,” Coston said.
The team was able to avenge their loss against Holy Cross last year with a 6-4 victory this season. Horner said at games where they’re playing rivals like Delran and Holy Cross there is an extra energy and intensity.
“I definitely think that those games can get intense out of not just our team, but the other team too,” Horner said. “And I definitely think that it creates a very competitive environment and we are not always used to that.”
Another aspect contributing to the team’s winning record is Bond’s leadership. He acknowledges that he has “calmed down over the years” and is “a lot less insane” now when it comes to coaching.
“I would say just through managing people and having a little bit more insight into how to get people and players to perform at their best has probably been my biggest growth,” Bond said. “And just, you know the experience in general.”
As a predominantly young team, the Pirates will graduate three seniors at the end of the season.
The Pirates will face Haddon Township away today at 4:00 p.m.
