Through the blistering heat of preseason camp, to the freezing winds of the fall, the Stern College soccer team has been working tirelessly to improve their skills. Over the past two and a half months, we have been practicing every night at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ, our home field, in addition to playing in fourteen highly-competitive game tournaments. Now the soccer team has been wrapping up their season with a series of high intensity games, including a double overtime loss against York College with only two minutes left on the clock.
The work we have put into the long late-night practices has truly paid off. With only nine returning players, the team had to adjust to a new dynamic. But as the fall progressed, the new players began to shine as true assets to the team, while the returning athletes continued to improve.
Although game statistics could appear to indicate otherwise, the Lady Macs have had a season of notable achievement, including a 10-0 shut-out win against Medgar Evers College and a series of very close games against other rival teams. Striker Merav Saden-Barach has had an incredible season, leading the team with seven team goals, and a season high of twenty-four shots on goal. Additionally, she earned the prestigious title of HVIAC “Player of the Week” after scoring six goals in one week, five of which were in one game. On the defensive end, newcomer goal-keeper Annie Jaffe, has led a tremendous defensive effort, blocking 106 shots this season. Both defensive and offensive efforts have strengthened throughout the duration of the season by following our Coach’s advice to “pass it up the line” on defense, while consistently “pushing it up the field” on offense.
Led by head coach Nathaniel Appel, a new team of highly-qualified coaches has driven the Stern College soccer team to push ourselves further. Before coming to Yeshiva University, Coach Appel was the coach for Dalton Preparatory School as well as the Central Park Rangers. He also had an impressive college career as a starter for Connecticut College in New London, CT.
Coach commented on his positive experience coaching for Stern and on the promising future of the soccer program at SCW: “I have been extremely excited to coach the Yeshiva University Women’s Soccer Team this season. Seeing the team progress over the season and watching them improve has been extremely rewarding. I think the team, and the program, has a lot of promise and will continue to improve in the coming years.”
Coach Abby Katz also joined the team this season as the assistant coach. Having played four seasons for Purchase College in Westchester, NY, Coach Abby presents the SCW team with a well-versed knowledge of successful and tactful playing. During her college career, Coach Abby made athletic history at Purchase as the top goal scorer in a single season. But her record-setting career doesn’t stop there; she was also named a member of the Jewish Sports Review All-America Team by the Jewish Sports Review, the leading periodical for Jewish athletes in America. Coach Rebecca Ruck has also been a critical new asset to the team as the goal-keeping coach. She has been working the goal-keeping team hard, and their skills have sharpened tremendously due to her experienced guidance.
In addition to the new strong leadership on the coaching front, our two senior captains, Yael Roberts and Sara Shamir, have stabilized the team with their encouragement and organization. Their relentless devotion to the team has helped create a strong sense of unity. Her fourth season on the team, Yael Roberts has played a fantastic three years as midfield for the team. Although unfortunately out for season due to injury, “Rob” has guided the team with her helpful advice and amazed everyone with her wondrous sit-up abilities. Roberts reflected on the outcome of the hard work the team has exhibited this season: “This season was, as usual, a year of growth… It may not show on our records, but this is the most successful season I’ve ever had on the Lady Macs. This is an unbelievably tight-knit team that I’m sure will only go on to win incredible things in coming years.”
Shamir played another consistently impressive season in center midfield. She has proven to have a powerful right and left foot shot on goal, as well as always running back just in time to help out on defense. Shamir expressed her appreciation for the team, remarking that “this fall, we have worked hard and truly come together as a team. The fall season is coming to a close, but I expect great things for the spring season, and years to come. I feel so lucky that I had the opportunity to lead the team this season. I will miss them greatly, and wish them the best!”
The Stern soccer team has pushed themselves to new limits and improved tremendously this fall season, but they know the work is far from over. They can look forward to continuing to practice during the off-season, and anticipate a successful upcoming spring season.