The girls varsity soccer team finished the regular season with a winning record of 9-2-2. After finishing third in the IAAM “A” Conference, they earned a home game for the first round of playoffs.

On October 28, the team faced St. Paul’s School for Girls (SPSG) in the quarterfinals. Patriot fans came to support and cheer on the girls under the lights.

Megann Kalthof, one of the four senior captains, said, “A lot was going through my head [during the game], but the main goal was to not give up or back down. I was telling and reminding myself to not panic and to just relax.”

Senior Captain Elise Robinson said, “My mindset going into the game was ‘losing isn’t an option.’ I knew we had to play our game and not panic to get the outcome we wanted. We’ve come so far and accomplished so much as a team that we can’t take our foot off the pedal yet.”

The game was a hard-fought battle. Both teams displayed immense talent, but JC captured the win in the end.

In the 28th minute of the second half, junior defender Sojo Hollin crossed a ball to senior forward and captain Ella Steck. Ella settled the ball, and placed it in the left-hand side of the goal. The game ended 1-0.

Ella said, “It felt amazing to score and celebrate with my teammates, knowing that everything we’ve been working for is paying off, and that it’s only the beginning.”

Sojo said, “It was a great feeling to have family, friends, and classmates come out and support us. We’ve been working very hard all season, and it’s so nice to see that work paying off and see how far it’s gotten us, but we also know we’re not done, and we’re going to just keep going.”

The team will face the McDonogh School in an away game for the semifinals on November 2.
Head Coach Hayley Howe said, “I was so proud of our team. This group has been focused since day one on what we truly want to accomplish. This win was quite the reward, but we aren’t finished.”

Coach Howe added, “Prepping for McDonogh in some ways is simple. Our team knows our game plan and how to use our strengths. We certainly respect McDonogh, but we know we can match their talent. This is a special squad this year and I believe in us.”