The girls Varsity and JV soccer teams have kicked off the fall season with an outstanding start. Although they are only midway through the season, the girls are already proving to be a major threat to opposing teams.

Varsity

The Varsity team has played 11 games, all of which they have either won or tied (7-0-4). The girls are confident in the team and hope to continue their undefeated streak.

“I think we’re surprising a lot of people,” said junior captain Abby Rieland. Currently, the varsity team is ranked 7th in the state according to MaxPreps.

The team is really competitive when it comes to their games and practices, and they hope to improve a lot over the season. Senior Haley Barge is the varsity team’s top scorer with ten goals under her belt. Additionally, goalie Madelyn Cunningham has already won MaxPreps’s Player of the Week for the state of Maryland. Cunningham has made 33 saves over the course of the 11 games the teams have played so far.

Junior captain Fiona Rowan said, “I think we have a lot of potential to get better. We are kind of underestimated, so we’re trying to change people’s expectations.” 

This year’s varsity captains are Ashley Yurich, Fiona Rowan, and Abby Rieland. The captains have made it their goal this season to play as a unit and to focus on fun. The varsity players all agree that building a bond with teammates is crucial to improvement, so they are working hard to create close-knit relationships within the team.

“As the season has gone on, we’ve learned how to play with each other better,” said Barge.

The team roster consists of five seniors, eight juniors, six sophomores, and two freshmen. Although the varsity team may be composed of more younger players than in previous years, the girls are just as ambitious and determined.

Junior Varsity

The JV girls team shares many of the same season goals as the varsity team. This year’s JV captains, Myah Davies, Hunter Wolf, and Allison Byrnes, are hoping to lead their team in improving their communication as the season moves forward in addition to growing closer as a team.

Sophomore Myah Davies said,”It’s important to look out for each other and to work to create long-lasting bonds that will help us to play better together.”

The JV girls work extremely hard to fulfill the Linganore soccer image. Although they have lost a few games so far this season, they are trying to bounce back and use the losses as a driving force to improve.

“The varsity team has left us very big shoes to fill, so we are hoping to fulfill those expectations,” said Davies.

One quote from Varsity Coach Howard Putterman that sticks with all of the girls is,”We are one program, not two teams,”. The girls have really taken this to heart and have been working together to get better as a program and not as two separate teams.

In addition to their season goals, the two teams also think it is important to make an effort to do more outside of soccer.

“This season we’re also striving to do more community service so we are having our own service projects. We’re trying to make our program about more than just soccer and we’re trying to reach out to the community,” said Rieland.

To accomplish this goal, the team is hosting a Teacher Appreciation Night on Tuesday, October 10 to help get the whole community involved in their program.

The amount of ambition and drive the girls have proves that the Linganore girls soccer teams are truly a force to be reckoned with. Come support them at their next home game against Urbana on Thursday, October 5, go Lancers!