Taft Girls’ JV Soccer came barreling down into Lakeville for Hotchkiss day with everything to play for on the final day of the season. Cold but sunny conditions awaited the girls as they hopped off the bus for the last time. The Bearcats’ recent run against good opponents had galvanized their team and they were eager to prove they were capable of ending Taft’s hope for an unbeaten season. Electing to have the sun and wind in their eyes for the first half, everything seemed like an uphill struggle for the Rhinos from the opening whistle. Warning signs were mounting as ‘keeper Sarah Elkas came off her line early to just smash away a ball from a striker who had run onside in behind our defensive line. Hotchkiss was running circles around our team and won a corner in the fifth minute that would prove costly. Their short corner set piece play rolled into a forward, who returned the ball closer in to be re-crossed and the low ball at pace found one of their forwards alone on the six, who made no mistake with a smart header that Elkas could do nothing about. It was a well taken goal and the momentum was all dressed in blue as their fans loudly celebrated the early goal. The coaches pulled some players into different roles and were urging more communication and off ball movement to retain possession but it seemed things kept going the Bearcats’ way. Sometimes games turn on pivotal moments whose repercussions echo on and on later in the game and such was the case today when a Hotchkiss forward smartly took the ball down on the edge of the 18 and fired a looping ball toward the far corner of the net. Elkas’ footwork, agility, and desire were all pushed to their limits as she shuffled back and just tipped the ball over the crossbar while falling down to keep the lead to 1-0. Thanks to Sarah and our defense keeping out the ensuing corner kick, and a slew of other dangerous attacks, the forwards knew once chance would be all that was needed to pull this game level. In the 17th minute a beautiful series of one touch passing between center-forward Clara Eckstein and midfielder Sadie Frame drew Hotchkiss’ center backs out of position. The final pass, sent in by Sadie, released winger Ella Connolly through on goal. With a defender closing down just behind her, Ella decided to take her chance while she had it, and unleashed a blistering shot from just outside the 18 that rose above the crossbar, dipped, and dropped over the goalie’s outstretched hand to level the scores at 1 apiece. What a time to score your first goal of the season! The rest of the half was a cagey affair, with neither team really risking too many players forward given the dangerous capabilities of each set of strikers. Our next-best chance came in the final five minutes when Charlotte Hanson sent in a dangerous cross that center-forward Natalie Nejaime drove at, but the Hotchkiss keeper intervened with a diving effort to prevent a tap-in goal. At half time, the coaches and players all agreed that we had weathered a bit of a storm and the conditions (wind at our backs, sun in their eyes) would prove impactful in the second frame. Such was the case right from the opening whistle. It seemed we were running down hill with midfielders, Celia Tornino, Sadie Frame, Muffing Prakittiphoom, Hollen Spain, Annabel Brawn and Katie Gilland all combining well with and without the ball. Attacks and chances were mounting and the girls were riding the momentum when the game finally turned our way. A scramble in the box nine minutes into the half lead to a Hotchkiss defender attempting a clearance - fortunately for us - Clara Eckstein bravely threw herself in the way and the ball popped way up into the air. She was the quickest to react to the falling ball as she took the ball down and guided it into the net in one fell swing of her right leg to send our bench into bedlam. Taft 2-1. We were clicking on all cylinders now as wingbacks Ellie Perkins and Margot Kahler pressed high up the pitch in an effort to keep the ball up the field in search of another goal. Just six minutes later Co-Captain Hollen Spain got the ball in the box from the left hand side and Sadie Frame was on hand to collect it, but fell down. However, the ball lay behind her with most players frozen. She popped up, pivoted and fired low past their keeper for an all-important third goal. Taft 3-1 with 25 minutes to go. With the two goal lead the girls (and coaches) finally sensed that control and the win were fully within reach and players began to play loose and with more enjoyment. Centerbacks Grace Denious and Keeley Brooks surged forward, winning 50-50 balls, bombing passes forward, and laughing all the while. Macy Cherneff and Erin Lonergran, playing along the wings, pressed high in search of a goal of their own (it was difficult for Macy to lose her marker while wearing an impressivley-white winter hat). Our other Co-Captain Stirling Thompson would not be denied on the day, smashing home a well worked fourth goal to seal the game in the 63rd minute. Taft 4-1 to the good. Taft enjoyed good possession and movement the remainder of the game, but Hotchkiss would snatch one back from a nice move down their left hand side with two minutes to go to pull within two goals. When the referee blew the final whistle the girls on and off the pitch (including our de facto players-turned-managers - Hayley Guittard and Annabelle Shanks) rushed to celebrate on the field together one last time. A great come-from-behind win with the sporting Hotchkiss players and coaches was the perfect ending to our season. The players this year were wonderful to coach, they were willing to run through a brick wall if you asked them to, and they just did not understand the meaning of the word “quit”. We have had too many games to count this season where were down 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, and 5-3 that we came back to win or tie. This drive and willingness to play for each other made this team quite literally unbeatable and the girls finished the season with an undefeated record of 13 wins, 4 draws, and 0 losses. By our count it is the most wins in a single season ever for Girls JV Soccer. These girls should be very proud of the team that they made and the effort they put in every day this fall. Until next year and go Big Red! Coaches Mullane and Chandler Goals and Stats on the season are as follows: Sarah Elkas - 6 Shutouts Goals Scored Annabel Brawn - 5 Annabelle Shanks - 4 Celia Torino - 1 Charlotte Hanson - 6 Clara Eckstein - 14 Ella Connolly - 1 Erin Lonergran - 1 Grace Denious -1 Hollen Spain -3 Keeley Brooks - 1 Macy Cherneff - 1 Margot Khaler - 1 Muffin Prakittiphoom - 1 Natalie Nejaime - 1 Sadie Frame - 19 Stirling Thompson - 9