After a hard fought battle, the CHS girls varsity soccer team fall to Woodbridge 2-1. The lady Barons take a record of 7-3, while Colonia has difficulty getting rid of their losing streak with now a record of 4-6. It is no surprise that emotions overflowed these opposing teams as rivalries can always get the best of us.
After Woodbridge put two in by Freshmen, Olivia Gattone, and Junior, Anjanie Gilzean, in the first half, the Patriots, along with the fans, were surely beginning to worry. “When they scored that first goal in the first 10 minutes, it made it harder to come back….,” Sophomore, Alexandra (Ally) Poulakowski explained, feeling that the team as a whole, could’ve done better. That, of course, didn’t stop them from letting down as they put up a fight in the second half with a goal by Poulakowski , near the end of the game.
Rushing to put another one in to tie up, Woodbridge refused to let down, and the lady Patriots, with little time, simply couldn’t get the job done. “Although we didn’t get the win, we did make an improvement in the shoreline since our first game against them this year, which is a positive. We definitely could’ve played better, but overall we did play well,” Senior captain, Melanie Albanese, exclaimed.
Losing to Woodbridge away in the beginning of the season in a 3-0 upset, surely gave the Patriots a disappointment outlook after being so close to a victory the second time around. Albanese hopes that in the long run, Colonia will get the victory they deserve against Woodbridge High. Unfortunately, that moment will not come for her as she and the rest of the six seniors may never get a shot to redeem themselves against the Barons, “ It’s a bittersweet feeling to only play them for potentially one last time but it made me want to get the victory even more and work even harder.”
For many like Albanese , it was their last time to put a good show in a township rivalry game, but for others, it was only the beginning. Junior captain and goalkeeper, Kelly Silva, made nearly 15 saves to keep the Lady Patriots in the game, and Ally managed to get her first goal of the season with an elegant pass by Sophomore, Seaerra Michalsky, during a free kick near the 18-yard line. “That was the best memory I have from high school soccer. I redeemed myself from last year, just wide of the net, almost scoring as a Freshman against our rivals. Scoring on Thursday made me feel a rush of happiness and joy I’ve never experienced before,” Poulakowski exclaimed, expressing her overwhelming joy after her goal.
Celebrating her first goal of the season again’st Woodbridge High, Ally Poulakowski goes to hug her teammate, Junior, Daniela Cruz.
After the last whistle blew, emotions started to pour. Disappointment and anger for some. Joy and pride for others. “My first thoughts as soon as the last whistle blew was: We should’ve and could’ve won this game,” Ally explained. “I would say to my teammates that after I graduate, along with my fellow seniors, to keep grinding and hopefully get the victory over Woodbridge that we never got…,” Albanese finished saying.
It’s these moments that shape us into the athletes we are. Losing is the toughest part of it all. These are the things we have to face when you are part of a team. You win together, You lose together. Keep it up ladies. Our chance will come.
