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NTL GIRLS' SOCCER: WYALUSING LOOKS TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP THIS SEASON (2022-08-24)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
For the past couple years the Wyalusing girls’ soccer has been slowly ascending. They’ve challenged the for the NTL title in 2020 and 2021, and have even beaten Athens twice the past two seasons.

Now, though, they’re looking to take the next step, and, the question is, how do they do it.


“That’s one of the things we’ve been talking about in the offseason,” said Wyalusing coach Gary Haley. “Coach Alvarez and I, we look at where were in the season, and I think this year we need to push the girls a little bit harder; because we’re close, we’re close to being where we want to be with Troy and Athens, and those kinds of teams; but, sometimes, we come up a little bit short.”


Troy has been a strong nemesis as of late, and they split with NEB a year ago. They also have to replace one of their better classes, which included NTL best goalie Pearl O’Connor, amongst others.


“I think we just need to get everyone to talk more,” said senior Sydney Friedlander. “And all of us need to work together as a team this year, especially because there’s a lot of new girls coming up.”


They boast 20 girls this season, with nine of them freshmen.


“It’s definitely different,” Friedlander explained. “We had all the seniors last year, and they all left, and we didn’t have many freshmen last year. It’s new playing with the newer girls.”


That means focusing a lot on the basics during camp to get the younger girls up to speed.


“We do a lot of passing drills, a lot of team bonding things,” senior Layla Botts remarked. “We’re always working together and communicating. We’re working on our one touch passing, we’re working on shooting low in the corners.”


Botts will once again be back in the center of the field, teaming with junior Olivia Haley up front.


“I’m going to really focus on moving the ball, moving without the ball, and helping my teammates,” Botts said.


She has good chemistry with Haley, whose one of the fastest forwards in the league.


“I like sending through balls to her, and just letting her run,” remarked Botts.


Joining her in the midfield will be their third senior Elana Jennings.


“I like being able to see the field, and knowing what to play,” Jennings said about the midfield.


Possession is one key aspect Wyalusing is focusing on, as, in the past, they’ve struggled to control the ball against some of the better teams in the league.


“It’s going to be pretty tough,” said Jennings. “Were focusing on being more confident in ourselves, and being more positive in negative situations.”


Defense is where most of the changes will likely be. They’ve been developing a goalie in waiting with sophomore Sophia Alvarez, but the line in front of her will change.


Friedlander will be the leader of the back, a weight she’s felt already.


“I feel like the pressure’s really on me, especially because I’m the senior, and I’m the only defender that is a senior,” she said.


Haley’s seen all the right things from his team in the summer.


“We practiced throughout the summer, we’ve had good turnouts throughout the summer,” he remarked. “We’ve got a good core group returning from last year, and we got some freshmen who are coming up.”


That’s what makes him think they’ll be able to take that next step this year.


“Our expectations are higher,” Haley said. “They’ve proven that they can compete, and now we want to get over the hump, and not just compete, but be able to beat any of the teams in the league. That’s what we tell the girls, and that’s what we practice. We’re not always going to win, but we tell them that we want to go out and be competitive every game.”


ROSTER

Layla Botts

Sydney Friedlander

Elana Jennings

Olivia Haley

Mia Wilcox

Chloe Kelly

Sophia Alvarez

Savannah Gromley

Chloe Bennett

Annamary Slocum

Ava Reed

Makenzie Kintner

Addisyn Bly

Gabby Gromley

Taryn Gill

Lia Hart

Kenzie Tunnicliff

Lilly Johnson

Treanna Nickeson

Addison Robinson


SCHEDULE

Aug. 26 - Wyalusing vs CMVT at Meadowbrook Tournament, 5:15 p.m.

Aug. 27 - Wyalusing at Meadowbrook Tournament

Aug. 30 - NPM at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Sep. 1 - Towanda at Wyalusing, 4:30 p.m.

Sep. 3 - Loyalsock at Wyalusing, 10 a.m.

Sep. 6 - Elk Lake at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Sep. 8 - Wyalusing at Williamson, 4 p.m.

Sep. 13 - Wyalusing at Troy, 4 p.m.

Sep. 17 - NEB at Wyalusing, 10 a.m.

Sep. 20 - Wyalusing at Athens, 5:30 p.m.

Sep. 22 - Wellsboro at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Sep. 27 - Athens at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Sep. 29 - Wyalusing at NEB, 4 p.m.

Oct. 5 - Wyalusing at Towanda, 6 p.m.

Oct. 8 - Wyalusing at Wellsboro, 10 a.m.

Oct. 10 - Millville at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Oct. 12 - Troy at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Oct. 14 - Wyalusing at Sullivan County, 4 p.m.




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