Yinger Chen also contributed to this article.
On October 13th, the Malden Girls’ Soccer team made their way to Pine Banks for their game against the Revere Patriots.
The day was cool and drizzly, with open playing fields and pine trees lining the fences. Despite the cold and groggy weather, many players favored these conditions. Right Back and Senior Captain Sofia Vargas commented, “We like it colder, because you don’t get as hot when you’re playing; you aren’t in need of a water break or in need of a rest.”
The lights beamed to life, blasting bright, ecstatic energy onto the field. Going onto the field, the team was feeling optimistic, with their energy high and smiles being exchanged.
The game started with high hopes, as the team began to engage Revere, attempting to keep a strong, steady pace. The team took tabs on Revere, trying to figure out a plan on what to do next.
Sophomore Striker Khadijah Diagne said that, “We knew they had one girl that could shoot really good, so we had someone marking her the whole time,” and that the Tornados were having “good passing sequences.”
As the match went on, many of the players began to feel the competitiveness rise. Girls pushed at each other for the ball; several would sprint down the field after the ball to gain control for their team.
Many players saw improvements since their first game of the season. One of the highlights of the game was the “passing.” This season, passing and quick plays are something that we’ve been working on, and it was displayed well during this game,” noted Diagne.
Players mainly wished for improved communication and watching how the Tornados mentally react when it comes to playing other teams. “A challenge of the game is playing either up or down to the opponent’s level of skill”, sophomore Center Back Taya Rubin-Wilson shared.
“We were able to score five goals. Scoring can be kind of difficult for us sometimes, but once we get it, we keep going”, Vargas remarked. One of the main highlights of the game was when junior Brianna Darisse scored.
“Brianna scored her first goal of the season, which was very well deserved,” Diagne remarked when reminiscing about how the game went.
As the season comes to a close, the players reminisce about positive moments and how the season went. Seniors compliment how much the team has grown when it comes to skills and energy.
“We had the energy to want to be able to win,” Vargas said, summarizing how the overall game went.
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