Sophomore soccer players flourish on varsity team

Staples Varsity soccer has been overrun with sophomores (Top row left to right: Morgan McWhirter, Tia Zajec, Charlotte  Rossi, Lydia Shaw. Bottom Row: Kit Epstien, Ivy Prince, Eve Korus.

Becky Hoving

Staples Varsity soccer has been overrun with sophomores (Top row left to right: Morgan McWhirter, Tia Zajec, Charlotte Rossi, Lydia Shaw. Bottom Row: Kit Epstien, Ivy Prince, Eve Korus.

When someone says “the varsity team” it’s not unusual to picture big, strong upperclassman athletes that set examples and goals for underclassmen beginning their journeys through Staples sports. However, when someone says “girls’ varsity soccer” that stereotypical image becomes entirely irrelevant.

This year, the Staples girls’ soccer team is coming in with a record number of seven sophomores on varsity. In addition, many of these girls were placed on the varsity team as freshmen.

According to head coach Barry Beattie, “To have those kids being starters this year means we have two very strong years to come with them and the team.”

The varsity team has kicked off the season with a powerful front as a nearly undefeated team. Now 12 games into the season the team continues to dominate competition week after week with 10 wins, one tie and only one loss.

Even with one year or less spent on varsity the girls are making large contributions to the team and work well with the upperclassmen to win game after game. Beattie shares that the sophomores “have had something to do with every single goal we’ve scored this year.”

Coming onto a varsity team as a freshman may seem intimidating, but to Tia Zajec ’17, a right mid player who has had a passion for the game since the age of four, “At first it was [intimidating], but all the upperclassmen were really nice and said hi to me in the halls, which made me feel really welcomed.”

With the current stats going as they are, the team has high goals set for the rest of the season. “It is a realistic game for us to challenge the top teams,” Beattie said. “We’ve got a few tough games coming up, but I feel with this group we can actually go on and challenge for some proper honors.”

The team shows extremely promising potential for the rest of the season. “I’m hoping we advance into states and FCIACSs because that would be really big for us,” Eve Korus ’17 said.