The navy blue jerseys of the Lady Rebels disperse across the field, and neon cleats dot the landscape. All 38 eyes are on the ball, but in the stands, all eyes are on the girls. Students and parents fill the bleachers as a lavender haze illuminates the field. Portraits of fourteen seniors are taped to a goal post and plastered on student-made posters, ubiquitous faces popping up among the crowd. On October 19, the girls varsity soccer team played Hempstead for their senior game, which they won with a score of 2-0—just one of fourteen wins this season.
Only five days before, the girls dominated Roosevelt, securing their playoff spot and becoming the conference champions on a cold, rainy Saturday night. “With the score at 2-0 and 10 seconds left on the clock, I looked at my fellow captain, Allie, whom I’ve been playing soccer with for eight years now. We exchanged a look that simply said we did it,” said Senior Captain Dana Li.
Totaling 71 goals for the entire season, the team has scored more goals than any other girls varsity soccer team in Great Neck South history. In addition, the team has only been scored against once throughout the whole season. Having tied once and lost none, the girls won 14 of 15 conference games this season. “During my sophomore season, we lost every single game. And here I was, my senior season, winning every game and advancing to the playoffs. Truly such a fulfilling, full circle moment,” Li reflects. Despite an immense amount of success, the team faced a challenge when Senior Captain Maggie Wu tore her ACL in the middle of the season.
“Our biggest difficulty was the loss of one of our best players, Maggie Wu. It was very difficult. You can’t replace her, she was just not replaceable,” Coach Neville explains. Learning how to navigate the field without her was an ongoing challenge as the team continued to work toward the playoffs.
During practices, the girls worked to play cohesively. “From the very start of the season, everyone came in with a mindset of wanting not only to win, but to create a place where everyone on the team could be themselves and be supported. As a team we worked hard every practice and it showed in the way we played,” Senior Captain Shannon Ethier recalled.
Coach Neville added, “They work together better than any team I’ve ever had.”
“Playing side by side with such talented and genuinely beautiful people you would have otherwise never crossed paths with is not an opportunity that comes often. The shared tears, difficult practices, and electrifying bus rides only comes from this environment… Don’t let time pass through you, and make it your season,” Li said. “[Our experience this season] turned this high school soccer team into a big family,” said Senior Captain Liana Musheyev.
