Girls' varsity soccer opens strong with win over Northwest

BLAZER STADIUM, Sept. 5 -

After a record-breaking season last year, girls' varsity soccer stepped it up again with a quick 2-0 victory over Northwest. The glaring sun and sweltering heat were no impediment. Senior captain Imani Pierre, senior Elana Gold and sophomore goalie Lena Meyerson executed skillful maneuvers and maintained unwavering resolve, which contributed to the team's victory.

The Blazers managed a one-point lead 20 minutes into the game, with sophomore Jamie Kator's careful kick around the Northwest goalie. But the score stayed 1-0 throughout the beginning of the second half. With 17 minutes remaining, Gold cut between two defenders and dashed towards the goal. With 30 yards of open turf in front of her, Gold dramatically stared down the Northwest goalie and sunk the ball in the right corner of the goal, scoring the final point of the game.

Though the Blazers played well, Coach Robert Gibb knows the team can do better. "It felt good - wasn't perfect but there were some moments of good play that we can work with," he said.

At the beginning of the match, the Blazers came out a little shaky. But as the first half progressed, Blair and Northwest shared the ball evenly and fought tenaciously for prime shots on goal. But Pierre anchored the defense with her speed and intensity. She was able to get in the way of the ball and save many shots from soaring into the goal.

Goalie Meyerson played an almost flawless game, putting the team before her physical well-being by taking several tumbles on the turf. She only faltered on a few occasions when it was difficult to master complete control of the ball.

As the second half began, Blair started to catch fire and work together as a team. They broke through the Northwest defense time and time again. Despite a few over-zealous Blazer kicks which caused the ball to sail high above the goal, Northwest was still unable to match Blair's dedicated intensity on the turf.

In fact, as the Blazers become more comfortable on the new turf throughout the season, Gibb believes it will give them an advantage over opponents. Since the girls have already adjusted to the surface, Gibb projects fewer injuries throughout the season and trusts the players will remain healthy and on their feet.

So far, the team is coming together. After losing eight talented seniors last year, including Molly Brune and Annie Worden, the Blazers are looking to build on a younger team this season. Gibb believes these new recruits will help lead the team to many victories. "We are filling the ranks with really experienced players who are used to winning," he said.

Because of these new athletes, Gibb is confident that this year's team will be able to build on past accomplishments and make a deeper run in the playoffs. "Our goals are to exceed last year's success, and we believe we can do that," he said.

The girls' varsity soccer team plays its next home game on Tuesday, Sept. 22 against BCC at 7:00 p.m.