Although the Coventry Lady Oakers Soccer Team didn’t have the outcome they desired, they definitely had a memorable season. The results of their season were 6-4-7, and having seven ties didn’t help them in the rankings. However, they came to play, and the grit and determination from the girls was shown.
For a majority of time the girls held second place, but fell to their downfall towards the end of their season. Ending up in sixth place because of some tough losses, they were forced to play Ponagansett. For the past two years the Lady Oakers have faced the Chieftains, always coming up short and being sent home. There were two ways that this situation could be faced, they could step up or be sent home for the third year in a row.
After many intense practices, the Lady Oakers headed out to face the Lady Chieftains. They suffered a defeat of 7-3, which was a hard loss due to many players being injured, especially their right back, Lianna Macphee. Macphee is a core to the team, holding the back line together and without her they struggled as a whole. However, the girls stepped up and showed that they wanted to play despite the score. The season ended, not the way the team expected, but they left there feeling more connected than ever.
Speaking to one of the captains, Leila Moniz says “We overcame our personal issues that were portrayed on the field last year and finally started to come together as a team, and although the season ended abruptly, it really felt like we became a true family over the whole season”.
Speaking with the Head Coach, Mike Smith, he felt some players needed to be highlighted due to their hard work and dedication they showed on and off the field. Starting off with Leah Lapham, the Lady Oakers Keeper, Smith stated “She is the true core to our team, without her we wouldn’t have made it this far, she leads by example and is always ready to play. Leah puts her team before herself and it really shows on the field”. Lapham showed the team this year how to be a great teammate.
Another player that Smith believes is a teammate who is an outstanding center back with great perseverance is Eve Richard. Smith notes that “She has always been a leader since freshman year, being vocal on the field and commanding our team the way she sees fit. Eve is someone who is a true teammate always looking out for everyone, even if it’s the other team”. Richard has proved herself a true leader and it’s shown on the field.
Jadis Murphy has also been a player who has been an outstanding all around. “Coming back from a critical injury, Murphy is someone who has improved an immense amount looking back to last year,” said Smith.
The four captains also come into play, leading their team through the highs and lows during the season. Sara Sacchetti, Leila Moniz, Hannah Jackson, and Hannah Bishop have been starters for their varsity team for the past four years. Sacchetti bringing a lighter mood to practice when times were tough, Moniz bringing a mentality of “practice like you play”, Jackson helping her team gain victories over tough teams, and Bishop playing bigger than her size, they were a group the team definitely benefited from their presence.
The Lady Oakers became a true family and in the years forward they will continue to play as a team and become stronger each year.
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