Following a State Tournament appearance and an overall season record of 7-7-2 last fall, WA Girls’ Soccer (WAGS) is optimistic for a successful season and ultimate playoff run during the 2024 season.
Girls’ Soccer has high expectations for the season due to their strong team dynamic and new additions to the team, including 5 new freshmen and junior Eleni Stowell, who have already shown skill and potential on the field.
“The biggest addition [to this year’s team] would be Eleni Stowell, a junior who is new to WA,” senior captain Erin Keefe said. “She has already shown incredible leadership and talent on the field.”
Stowell is looking forward to contributing to the team, and has already felt a strong connection to her teammates.
“From the start of our season, the team has held such supportive and enthusiastic energy on and off the field,” Stowell said. ” At every practice, game, or team dinner, you can see how happy the team is to spend time together doing something we love. It’s a community I’m so happy to be a part of.”
WAGS puts in hard work during training and practices in hopes of improving their performance as a team. As a team captain, Keefe encourages hard work from her teammates, but also emphasizes having each others backs.
“As a member of WAGS, everyone knows that the expectation is to show up everyday, ready to work hard and get better, so that is definitely an expectation that I hold for myself and my fellow teammates,” Keefe said.
On Tuesday, September 3, WAGS took down Tewksbury Memorial High School 8-0, but knowing that the Dual County League (DCL) is a difficult league to compete in, the girls are still looking to improve and develop together as a team. A few of WA’s major rivals this season will be Acton-Boxborough, Concord-Carlisle, and Lincoln-Sudbury whom they compete against later in the season.
“I think the most challenging part of our season will be later on in the season when we play the super competitive DCL teams, and usually by that time of the season the games seem to carry more weight since playoffs are approaching,” Keefe said.
WAGS puts in numerous hours on the field, but off the field they still grow as a team. Before every game, a player hosts a spag (team dinner) which is a large reason for the team’s strong bonds. The team also puts aside time to do activities including a beach trip, pumpkin carving, laser tag, and other activities unrelated to soccer in hopes of creating lasting friendships.
As WAGS kicks off their season, they set their eyes on a winning season and an eventual DCL title.
“We all already feel very comfortable and confident playing together as a group, which I think will only continue to grow as the season progresses,” Keefe said. “I am confident that we will be able to compete in the DCL and make it to the playoffs and even win a couple games in the tournament.”
