Tough week for Westport girls soccer team

Wildcats fall to West Bridgewater 3-0

Story and photos by Richard Dionne Jr
Posted 9/25/19

The Westport girls soccer team lost to West Bridgewater, 3-0, in a home game at Westport High School on Friday afternoon. It’s been a tough week for the Lady Wildcats as they lost to Holbrook 5-1 …

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Tough week for Westport girls soccer team

Wildcats fall to West Bridgewater 3-0

Posted

The Westport girls soccer team lost to West Bridgewater, 3-0, in a home game at Westport High School on Friday afternoon. It’s been a tough week for the Lady Wildcats as they lost to Holbrook 5-1 on Wednesday. Their record fell to 3-2-2 as the young team faces another tough test at Sacred Heart on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

“There are some really good teams in the league and we’re just trying to compete,” said Head Coach Gary Muello. “We are a young group and low in numbers. That’s the challenge.”

“My job,” coach Muello added, “is to try and figure out what we can do to stay competitive in the league. Win when we can win and learn from teams like West Bridgewater and we’ll work in practice what we can improve on.”

The team started the season on a roll, scoring 15 goals in their first four games for a 3-0-1 record. But since then, the Wildcats had scored just 1 goal in their last three games with a 0-2-1 record.

“We’ve got a couple of injuries going on,” said coach Muello,” “but that’s part of the battle.”

The Wildcats are made up of underclassmen, with just three seniors and one junior, goal keeper, Sophia Reed.

Of the three seniors, two are injured. Madison Arruda got hurt during practice and Rachel Collins was injured during the West Bridgewater game.

“Some of the younger girls have to step up and learn quicker than they probably want to learn,” said coach Muello.

Senior co-captain Annie MacMaster believes that her underclassmen teammates are doing just fine.

“The underclassmen are battling. We stick up for each other and we hold our own,” said MacMaster.

“She’s really, really tough,” MacMaster said of eight grader winger Korynne Holden, “ and we also have Tess Sylvia, a seventh grader, playing wing for us too.”

Against West Bridgewater, the team played well defensively down the stretch in front of Reed, but couldn’t put together a run to get back in the game.

“We had two subs to start the season,” said MacMaster. “But now, two of our players are hurt. So now we have no subs.”

“We took some time outs,” MacMaster said of the West Bridgewater game, “To give ourselves a rest, reset and get a drink of water and recuperate.”

“After the goals, we held our own,” said coach Muello. “The defense shut them down in the second half. They did have some opportunities, but our goaltender came up with some big saves.”

“We played well with no subs. It was a 0-0 game after that. But they are a quick team, they practice a lot and their older and more experienced than us,” he said.

“Our team is working on our passing and communication skills so we can move the ball upfield better as a team,” said sophomore midfielder Jesse Skov.

Coach Muello said that the Wildcats need to continue to work on the things that they do well and try to improve.

“It takes time,” he said. But, there’s quite a bit of season left.”

As the team gathered around coach Muello, he said that the goal is to make the tournament.

“Everyone certainly put the effort in. That’s for sure. I can’t complain about that. That’s all we ask,” coach Muello said.

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