By Dean Vaglia
Leader Staff Writer
The Oxford High School varsity girl’s soccer team is having a banner year, going on an 8-1-1 record since the season began on Tuesday, April 5.
“I am very pleased with the season so far,” John Thaler, girl’s soccer head coach, said via email. “The players have come together quite nicely.”
As of Friday, April 29, the team has scored 43 goals while senior goalkeepers Brianna Barrows and Jenna Hickey have let through only five goals. The team has put eight wins on the board including two 8-0 and 7-0 shutouts, as well as a 1-1 tie against Macomb-based L’Anse Creuse North. Their one loss came at a score of 1-2 on the road against Birmingham Seaholm.
“Captains Carly Boyd and Ava Kettler have been outstanding seniors this season so far,” Thaler said. “[Ninth-graders] Anna Terenzi, Mia Brown and Samantha Zeiter have contributed more than expected for any newcomer to varsity. [10th-grader] Ella Boyd has been our scoring powerhouse with multiple goals in eight of our nine games. [12th-grader] keepers Jenna Hickey and Brianna Barrows have held well between the posts with only four teams scoring against us. The center midfielders Lexi Owens and Alyssa Kuhl, [11th-graders,] have controlled much of the games for us with a lot of skill and tenacity.”
The team currently sits at the top of the Oakland Activities Association (OAA) White division, and if the past is anything to go by, Thaler expects the team to go far.
“Our goal has always been to win the OAA White Division and make a great run in the state tournament,” Thaler said.
This week the girls will visit Detroit Country Day on Monday, May 2; Royal Oak on Tuesday, May 3 and rematch the already-defeated Fenton on Thursday, May 5. The team returns to Oxford for a series of home games to end the regular season, starting with Clarkston on Tuesday, May 10.