Gaby Harris, assist. sports editor
The Berry College women’s soccer team controlled the field from the opening whistle in their match on Saturday at the Bob Pearson Field vs. Johnson & Wales. The team kept the ball primarily on their opponents’ side of the field as they ended the match with a shutout score of 9-0. The Vikings held Johnson & Wales without a shot for the entire match with their stifling defense, while eight different Berry players contributed to the nine goals.
The Vikings came out strong as they scored with 28:33 remaining in the first half by sophomore Laina Engelbart. Her goal was assisted by junior Gianna Maimone, who led the team with four assists. The offensive pressure was evident throughout the match as players moved the ball quickly around the field. No player held onto the ball for long before passing it up to a teammate, making it difficult for Johnson & Wales’s defense to stay alert. From the sidelines, players could be heard calling out to each other, making sure they were communicating and staying connected throughout the match. The Vikings scored again before halftime thanks to freshman Elcee Leslein, who was assisted by junior Mia Cutler, taking a 2-0 lead into halftime.
& Wales.
The Vikings had strong support from the students and parents watching in the stands. As the team continued to control the match and create more scoring opportunities, students cheered for the team and stayed engaged throughout the match. Their support added to the atmosphere as Berry led into halftime.
After the 15-minute break, the Vikings came right back out with the same intensity, as sophomore Anna Robbins quickly scored a goal within the first five minutes of the second half. Berry continued to apply pressure as freshman Zoe Graham made a goal after being assisted by Maimone. With 14:39 left in the second half, freshman forward Grace Blanchard scored as she finessed her way past her defender. Following right after Blanchard, junior Ide Strickland scored another goal. Both goals were once again assisted by Maimone, who consistently put her teammates in position to score, recording assists on four of Berry’s nine goals. Her ability to find open teammates was partly a result of the chemistry she has developed with the team.
“I think a lot of it comes down to reading the game and knowing where your teammates tend to go,” Maimone said. “Building a close relationship with your teammates and knowing their style of play makes it a lot easier to read when the opportunity presents itself.”
A little over a minute later, Blanchard scored again for the Vikings, making the lead 6-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining. The freshman led the way by scoring two of the team’s nine goals and was one goal away from completing a hat trick. However, the Vikings were not done, as junior Giselle Aitken and freshman Heidi Swain scored the two remaining goals to help the Vikings finish the game 9-0.
The Vikings played until the time on the scoreboard reached triple-zero and huddled up after the game in celebration of their third win of the week. The crowd cheered as the team completed its second shutdown of the week following their game two days before. The girls laughed and danced together, showing the camaraderie and teamwork they continue to build as the season progresses.
While the win was a total team effort, forward and midfielder Maimone truly stood out as she set her teammates up for success and broke the record for most assists in a single game in program history in this game against Johnson & Wales.
Maimone was very happy for her team and the start they have made this season and she gave credit to her teammates for helping her win SAA Offensive Athlete of the Week. This was a first in her career as a Berry Viking.
“It is really cool to see our team get recognition so early on in the season and I would not have been able to have this performance without my teammates creating opportunities for me,” Maimone said. “I think this will push us to continue on this path and not get comfortable with where we are.”