South Brunswick High School’s girls soccer team has played well early this season, but the Lady Vikings have just a 2-3 record to show for their efforts.
Two of the losses came in double overtime, including a tough 1-0 decision against East Brunswick High School Sept. 19. Although South Brunswick’s junior keeper Sydney Schneider turned aside six shots, the Bears squeezed by on a goal from Melissa Ciaccio.
The Lady Vikings also lost in the second overtime to Piscataway Township High School, 3-2, early in the campaign, despite goals from Julianna Franco and Samia Baig and another six saves by Schneider. South Brunswick was shut out, 2-0, in a loss to Monroe Township High School Sept. 10. Both wins, however, have been comfortable affairs. Goals by Franco, Francesca Dimitrakis, Moriya Frankel and Cathlene Kaseta propelled coach Beth Barrio’s team past Spotswood High School, 4-1, on opening day. On Sept. 17, a three-goal effort by Adrianna Mouzakis led the Lady Vikings past J.P. Stevens, 6-1.
This year’s squad sports a new look after losing 16 of its 21 players — 14 of whom graduated, another moved and one transferred to a private school — from a team that turned in a 20-3 record and won the Greater Middlesex Conference’s (GMC) Red Division. The Lady Vikings set the tone right from the start by reeling off 11 straight wins. South Brunswick also reached the semifinals of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV tournament as well as the semifinals of the GMC Tournament, where Barrio’s team fell to East Brunswick, which went on to take the championship.
“We’re doing everything differently this year,” said Barrio, now in her eighth season running the Lady Vikings bench. “Most of the players are new, and we’re going to play differently to embrace the strengths that we have.”
One of those strengths is striker Franco, who returns after setting a season record for goals with 26 tallies to go with eight assists. Franco, who has three goals and an assist so far, gives the Lady Vikings a proven scorer, and opposing defenses will attempt to mark her very tightly.
That should create additional opportunities for junior Dimitrakis, who scored nine goals and eight assists a year ago. Mouzakis should also get her chances from the middle, as will Frankel. Two freshmen, Kaseta and Riley Radcliffe, have also earned spots in the starting lineup. At the other end of the field, South Brunswick boasts one of the top keepers in the GMC. Schneider enters her third season as a starter. Last fall, the junior spearheaded a defense that allowed just 14 goals against while turning in 12 clean sheets.
Her presence should help the defense, which includes seniors Brielle Araque and Samantha Rivera and junior Brielle Eder.
Other members of the team include seniors Zuleeka Alvarado, Spoorthi Dalta, Tina Savoth and Mikala Valosin, junior Rachel Hecht, sophomores Louisa Post-Zwicker and Alex Zubarev and freshman Julea Frankel.
South Brunswick was scheduled to meet The Hun School Sept. 22 in the first of three straight home matches. East Brunswick comes to visit Sept. 26, and Piscataway will be in town Sept. 29.