Sweat dripping down her face and legs aching, sophomore and varsity center midfielder Gabby Centi pushes through the pain and scores her first ever high school goal for JC. Her first goal so happened to be a game winning goal for the women’s soccer teams last conference game of the season against Mount De Sales to win the double overtime game 1-0.

The team had a 4-6 record overall with a 2-4 conference record. They lost 4-0 against Severn in the first round of the playoffs on Oct. 28.

“Everyone makes the playoffs in the [IAAM] A conference, but I’m proud of [the team],” head coach Hayley Howe said.

The team faced Severn earlier in the season on Oct. 8 for their senior game and that was the start of their three-game winning streak to end the season. The score was 1-0, the lone goal by junior, captain, and outside wing Kristen Isoldi.

“We started slow, but when we played Severn [the first time], we started to play as the team we work to be. Beating Severn was the defining moment for our team,” senior, striker, and captain Jenna White said.

According to Howe, the team emphasizes team bonding and being a single unit. On Oct. 21, the team had “Soccer Olympics,” which included competitions such as juggling contests and relay races while dribbling the ball. Whoever had the most points at the end won.

“I felt [that] ever since that event, the girls care about each other more,” Howe said.

“This team is really special because we all get along so well. We do a lot of team bonding and are always with each other,” senior defensive player and captain Caroline Sdanowich said.

The team had a goal of winning the championship since the beginning of the season.

“We turned into a completely different team towards the end of the season,” Sdanowich said. The team ended the season with a three game winning streak that started against Severn.

“I call them a chameleon team, which is a team that plays up to the level of their competition,” Howe said.

The women’s team expected a better showing in the playoffs, but are looking forward to the next season and reaching their ultimate goal, becoming IAAM A conference champions.

“If we had the chance to go back and play that game again I know we would have won,” junior and Alice Cumpston said. “We were hopeful to win, but next year we’ll work even harder to win and become champions.”

Kishan Patel is a Sports Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.