By Jeff Appelblatt
Girls’ soccer coach Daniel Mortensen is counting on his team at Woodbridge High School to regain its composure in time for October.
The team opened up the season in September with two straight wins, but the Barrons have been unable to win back-to-back games since. Each victory has been followed up with a loss.
“We’re still trying to find our identity,” the second-year coach said, defending the team’s inability to put together a winning streak.
Mortensen said the same thing last September when the Barrons began the season with an identical 5-3 record. And then the team’s “identity” was quickly found. Shortly after the sixth win in the team’s final game of the month, the victories started to pile on. In fact, Woodbridge won all seven of its regular-season October games, reaching the playoffs with 14 wins in 18 chances.
He saw it happen once, so Mortensen knows it’s possible for his girls to do it again this year.
“Hopefully we could do like last year when we won eight straight,” the coach said. “[Then for the season], we could win 14 or 15 games.”
But he also knows putting together such a streak is only possible if every player is doing what’s expected of her, starting with Gabby D’Emilio. The junior has been one of Woodbridge’s top offensive weapons since she scored 16 goals as a freshman. But her ability to score got even more important at the end of last season when teammate Jordan Vazquez got hurt.
D’Emilio finished her sophomore season with 19 goals and is currently leading the Barrons with 11.
Vazquez led Woodbridge with 21 goals last year. But the multi-sport standout missed the basketball and softball seasons due to injury. She worked herself back into shape to play soccer this year, but Mortensen felt it best to try her out in goal rather than the top scorer.
Mortensen finds himself happy with the decision. Justine Stefura, last year’s goalkeeper, graduated. So everything about the move made sense. And Vazquez, known as a scorer, has gotten used to the change.
“She’s really adapted,” the Barrons’ coach said. “She’s really come into her own.”
Mortensen just hopes with less running and less contact, Vazquez will have the chance to continue healing and strengthening.
“She still works out relentlessly,” the coach said. “In goal, she’s not putting as much wear and tear on herself as if she were running at forward.”
Meanwhile, running the most alongside D’Emilio has been Anjanie Gilzean and Kelsey Savoia. Through the first eight games, they’ve not only combined for 12 assists, but they’ve also added on seven goals.
“It’s nice to have a center back who can set up things so well,” Mortensen said about Gilzean, adding that Savoia “is one of our best and most consistent at controlling the ball.”
In order to win on a regular basis, Mortensen knows it will take everyone playing at a high level — hopefully as soon as possible. Woodbridge had a game scheduled Sept. 27 in Woodbridge against Edison High School.
Woodbridge defeated Edison, 3-1, in the Sept. 8 opener in Edison, behind goals from D’Emilio, Gilzean and Savoia.
“It will be very similar to when we first played them,” Mortensen said prior to the contest. “They have a forward up top, [Felicia Forsythe], that could carry a team to a win. I’m fine with her shooting, but we’ll have to focus on keeping her from taking close shots.”