This fall, the Gators Girls Soccer Team delivered another successful season, showcasing strength, determination, and talent. LMU reached the Manhattan 1A Division Semi-Finals under Head Coach Anthony Ferrari for the second consecutive year. Despite the heartbreak of falling one game short of the finals again, the Gators exemplified a successful season going 8-1-1 in the regular season and 2-1 in the playoffs.
The Lady Gators kicked off their season with four wins and one tie, a phenomenal start. Their fourth win in this stretch was a great 5-0 win against Baruch. Lab senior Logan Cradle led the team with three goals while Lab senior Sophia Lowe and Museum sophomore Teegan Wytock both scored one goal each.
However, two days later the Gators had their first and only loss of the regular season in a devastating 4-0 loss to NEST+M.
Facing their last home game on October 7th, the last one for LMU seniors, the Gators held no mercy for Senior Night on School of the Future in a statement 10-0 win. Lab’s Cradle and sophomore Sophia Costello led the team with three goals each, with Lowe scoring one. Additionally, Museum’s senior Captain Jeannelly Bisono-Vargas, Wytock, and sophomore Jordan Vitanza all found themselves on the stat sheet with a goal each.
Heading into the playoffs as the number four seed out of twenty, LMU was well rested as they received a first round bye.
In the second round, LMU competed in a hard fought matchup against No. 20 Maspeth, who won a 2-0 upset in the first round. The Lady Gators persevered, with Cradle scoring two goals and Wytock scoring one, moving on to the quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory.
Finding themselves in the quarterfinals against No. 5 HS for Art & Business, Cradle was dominant with four goals and Vitanza scored one in a class act 5-1 win to advance to the Semi-Finals.
In familiar territory as last season, a place where they got eliminated 4-0 by Scholars Academy, who went on to win the finals, the Gators hoped for a different outcome. It came down to an intense game against No. 1 Institute For Collaborative Education. Unfortunately, LMU came up just short once again, with Wytock being the lone scorer in an unfortunate 4-1 loss.
While a great season, history was repeated as they would lose in the Semi-Final game to the eventual division finals winner, as Institute For Collaborative Education went on to beat NEST+M 4-0.
Five seniors have just completed their high school careers for the Gators. While sad to let them go, the Gators look to progress further under new leadership next season.
Looking back at the season, we are lucky to have many returners. Junior goalkeeper Ava Bach looks forward to a big senior season. The shot denier registered over 70 saves and learned how to dive for the first time this year. Junior Juliana Wessels said Bach “ultimately helped the team go as far as” they did. Teegan Wytock, only a sophomore but the team’s leader in goals (19) and assists (10) demonstrated what a leader should look like. Wessels stated Wytock “called out many plays and led the midfield & defense,” ultimately leading “to many goals” and opening “many opportunities.”
The Gators expect to head into next season even stronger. Bach stated she hopes “everyone shows up to practice next year with no excuses,” with the ultimate goal to not just have fun, “but actually win.”
As the players hold themselves to high standards for next year, we look forward to seeing their hard work pay off.
