The local girls’ soccer teams at the varsity, junior varsity and middle-school levels all have something to be proud of this year: a combined record of 35-4-2, including an undefeated season for Indian River High School’s JV team.
Coastal Point • Ryan Saxton
The girls in the Indian River soccer program gather together for a final photo at the annual awards banquet.
Coaches, parents and peers alike took time last week to recognize the girls’ accomplishments at their annual sports banquet. For the first time in the school’s history, sixth-graders were permitted to play soccer at Selbyville Middle, allowing for early skill development and a promising future for the program for years to come. They finished their season with an impressive 9-1 record, with seven shutouts.
“I never thought, starting six years ago, that I’d be upset with not having an undefeated season with the girls,” said SMS coach Neil Barch. “But they played their best and we had an incredible season. The club program’s coming on strong, and we’re seeing more and more girls come out to play.”
Varsity head coach Steve Kilby presented a plethora of awards to his team, congratulating them on an outstanding year.
He singled out his seniors, Taylor Mushrush, Erin Kortvelesy, Annamarie Brown, and senior captains Marlena Schleifer, Michelle Giorgilli and Jenna McKone, as responsible, talented young girls with outstanding leadership qualities.
“These girls put everything they had into every game, and they really came out strong this year,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls, and I’ll really miss them. They’re going to leave some tough spots to fill on the field, but there’s a lot of talented players coming up, and I think we’ll have another great year next season.”