More confident Wisotsky leads Knights girls soccer
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Stefanie Wisotsky has been starting in goal since she was a freshman with the West Windsor-Plainsboro North girls soccer team.
With each successive season, the Knights goalkeeper has improved and increased her responsibilities. It has culminated with this, her senior, year.
”I think my confidence has just really gone up tremendously,” Wisotsky said. “I have more knowledge of the game itself. Also I’m able to give more direction on the field. It’s kind of directing people.”
It’s almost an entirely new crew to direct in front of Wisotsky as graduation stole away the Knights defensive center. It showed in the early going in game results as the Knights started 2-2.
”I think our defense has defense taken a huge step,” Wisotsky said. “We do have a lot of new players on the defense and some people in positions they haven’t played in. The first couple of games, we were experimenting with formations, so it was hard for them to deal with that.
”In the last couple of games, they’ve been doing an excellent job, covering for each other, communicating, pressuring the ball. They’ve definitely taken a step in the right direction.”
Anchoring the defense has been Wisotsky. She helped to steal a game from Hopewell Valley to get the Knights going, and momentum has built from there.
”She won the Hopewell game for us,” said Knights head coach Kevin Mackenzie. “She made five really big stops. They dominated the game, and we won the game. She’s continued that with Ewing, Robbinsville and Hightstown. She has great leadership. She’s done a good job of communicating with the defense and getting them in the right position to make plays.”
Wisotsky stopped 10 shots in a 3-2 win over Ewing, then came up with 12 saves in a 1-0 shutout of Robbinsville last Thursday and six saves in a 1-0 shutout of Hightstown on Saturday as the Knights moved over .500 to 5-2.
Stefanie Wisotsky is the Princeton Packet/HiTops Athlete of the Week.
”We were 2-2 going into the week,” Mackenzie said. “We knew we’d have three tough games. We had three one-goal games, and we won them all. It was very big. All three of those games could have gone the other way. We could have been looking at 2-5. Stefanie came up really big for us. She played very well.
”Ewing, they’re very quick up front and have a very dangerous counterattack. I want to say she stopped two breakaways in the game. She also stopped several really good shots in the Robbinsville game. She was a big factor in both games. If she doesn’t come up big, we lose both of those games.”
Mackenzie and the Knights have come to expect big plays from Wisotsky, who after all her years of experience is as prepared as any goalie in the county for what she will face. Without as experienced a defense in front of her as some seasons, she’s been forced to come up with a few more saves than usual.
”Last year, we definitely had a couple huge players that helped us,” Wisotsky said. “This year, we got a lot of new freshmen and sophomores and juniors that haven’t played as much that are starting to get a lot of playing time. It’s a young team. The earlier games in our season reflected that. We needed time to come together and find the right formation and the last week showed our improvement and potential for the rest of the season.
”Compared to last year, I’ve definitely been getting a lot more work. I think I work well with the defense, and the defense really helps me. They try to limit the hard saves, but when I get those shots, I try to get them. It kind of pumps me up when I make a big save.”
Wisotsky goes into every game hoping to have to only make one or two big saves to get the Knights a win. Her experience helps her limit opposing teams’ chances as well.
”She’s a smart player,” Mackenzie said. “She positions herself well. She makes smart decisions. She knows when to come off the line. A big part of goalkeeping — people think it’s all shot stopping — but a big part is understanding the game. And she makes the big saves when we need it too.
”It’s great to make great saves, but you want to prevent the shots from being taken in the first place. Smart goalkeepers can do that by communicating with the defense or by coming out to get the ball before they can get a shot off.”
Mackenzie tries to work with Wisotsky and talk to her as much as he can about goalkeeping. He has been impressed by her development into a top level goalie.
”She works hard in practice every day,” Mackenzie said. “I’ve seen her grow as a player. I personally think she’s one of the best goalies in the league, and it’s a league with a lot of good goalies. She’s certainly up there in the top group.”
After three seasons in goal against the best the Colonial Valley Conference has to offer, Wisotsky is much improved. Even she can’t believe how far she has come in her career.
”Just looking back on my freshman year, the improvement I’ve made is really shocking to me,” Wisotsky said. “I think that some of the freshmen can learn from that. I’ve been gaining the experience and learning from practicing the last three years. The freshmen can learn, and take it to the next level by the time they get through that four years.”
Wisotsky believes that the time commitment to play in college will be too much for her, and she’s trying to make the most of her final season of playing. Each year, the team has had new dynamics, and with just three seniors on the team, Wisotsky’s leadership has been needed more than ever this season. With a younger group, it is expected of one of the Knights’ captains.
”Last year, I tried to be vocal, but I think this year that leadership position really forced me to take on that role,” Wisotsky said. “Last year, there were seniors in the defense that could help direct. I still have one back there, Bri Jacques. I think it’s our job to control the field.”
The sense of determination among the Knights — regardless of their youth — remains strong. It is encouraging for Witsosky, who wants to go out a winner, and understands that the defense will be a big part of WW-P North’s success.
”I really think it’s a team effort,” she said. “We all have to take a part in it. Maybe there are some saves I make that someone else might not make, maybe a lucky save, but I think it’s the defense, midfield, offense together. We need to score to win and defend to win. It’s a team effort.
”After those first couple of games, I wasn’t sure which way we would go,” she added. “After the game on Saturday, I saw how hard we could work and how far our determination could take us. That shows how our team has developed and how we’re going to finish off the season.”

