Despite a difficult start, girls’ varsity soccer fought back to secure a 2-2 draw in their league opener against Woodside High School on Tuesday, Jan. 14. A resilient second-half effort, carried by standout plays from several key players, ensured the Panthers didn’t start league play with a loss.
The Wildcats dominated early, scoring a goal in the game’s first three minutes. Then, just eight minutes later, they scored another goal, putting the Panthers in a daunting 2-0 hole.
Head coach Andrew Flaherty attributed the team’s early performance to frustration and undisciplined play.
“The start of the game was not good. We weren’t up for the task and so we gave up,” Flaherty said. “We were down 2-0 in the first ten minutes because of some poor decisions.”
However, the Panthers didn’t harp on their early mistakes or wither under pressure after falling behind. Instead, they regrouped and focused on turning the game around.
“Looking at the scoreboard at 2-0 was definitely a wake-up call. We realized that we just let one player storm through us both times, and that is how they scored,” sophomore center forward and wing Hannah Goldberg said.
The game’s turning point came late in the first half. With only four minutes left of the first half, sophomore Lauren Denner scored the Panthers’ first goal with an assist from junior Gaelle Foy.
“We got our act together and we got one goal in, and one goal is all it takes to really change that we’re still in it and that we can still win,” Goldberg said.
Burlingame carried the momentum into the second half. To keep her team focused and determined, Haggarty delivered an energized halftime pep talk to her teammates.
“I really wanted to motivate my teammates to compete,” Haggarty said. “After we scored our first goal, the rhythm of the game changed, and we were finally connecting passes with each other. So I gave my team a little pep talk to really boost everyone’s morale and get everyone excited to play hard.”
20 minutes into the second half, Haggarty scored the equalizer with another assist from Foy.
While her tying goal was a big moment in the game, Haggarty wasn’t satisfied with the draw versus Woodside.
“It’s just expected to make that type of goal at this level. As an upperclassman, it’s expected to set an example of scoring,” Haggarty said. “We had a lot of missed opportunities that are just too nonchalant. We could have beat Woodside, but there wasn’t enough urgency to score because we were tied.”
Flaherty praised Goldberg, Haggarty, and junior forward Adelle Farris for delivering strong offensive runs. He also credited junior center back Sophia Mausehund for anchoring the defense after returning from an absence.
“[Sophia] solidified things and kept the game under control,” Flaherty said.
Freshmen defenders Ella Vuong and Giulia Monteverdi made major contributions against the Wildcats, earning significant playing time and making key contributions to the team’s backline.
“It’s really fun and all the upperclassmen are really supportive,” Vuong said. “I love the opportunity that I get to play and start as a freshman with everyone older.”
Looking ahead, the team is focused on achieving its season goal of finishing league play with a 7-3 record.
“We need to win and have that urgency,” Goldberg said. “We have made some mistakes and now can learn fully and go into these other games really, really ready.”
With their comeback against Woodside, the Panthers are eager to continue building momentum.
“We just need to keep going, keep fighting strong, because we have a really good group of girls. We just need to get our chemistry and work together to get to that goal,” Goldberg said.
