- December 26, 2024
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Matanzas' Eva Servello (26) gains control of the ball between two Menendez players. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Fatima Barham hugs one of her teammates after the game. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Olivia Slusarz (11) boots the ball upfield. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Destiny Dorsey (16) controls the ball. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Isabella Rivera (19) controls the ball. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Victoria Wilcox (10) battles Menendez's Adelyn Meyers. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas' Alexis Wilson. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas' Victoria Wilcox (10) battles for a 50-50 ball. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Players watch as Fatima Barham (7) takes a penalty shot. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Isabella Rivera (19). Photo by Brent Woronoff
Olivia Slusarz (11). Photo by Brent Woronoff
A teary-eyed Fatima Barham hugged her teammates, perhaps for the last time on a soccer field.
“This is the best team I’ve ever been on,” the Matanzas midfielder told them in a postgame huddle. “I love each and every one of you.”
The Pirates’ girls soccer season came to an end Jan. 28 with a 2-1 loss to Pedro Menendez in the District 4-5A semifinals on a windswept night at Menendez's Veterans Stadium.
Barham is one of 11 seniors on the team, nine of whom entered the program as freshmen.
“We grew together as a family,” she said. “When we came here, we had a different coach (Pawel Slusarz). He put us through the ringer, but he made us who we are. He helped us develop a lot.
“We’ve just continued to practice every day. We worked really hard to get to where we are now. It hurts to not make it to the district finals, but I think we did pretty good for what we were given. This team has fought so hard this season, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work (we) put in tonight.”
“We worked really hard to get to where we are now. It hurts to not make it to the district finals, but I think we did pretty good for what we were given.”
FATIMA BARHAM
Luck was just not on the Pirates’ side on this night, Matanzas coach Scott Crooke said.
Menendez took an early 1-0 lead off a corner kick as Giada Dacorone put in a rebound off goalkeeper Jennifer Rumplick’s hands. Alyvia Gibbs made it 2-0 with a header after the first-half water break.
“I think our defender accidentally hit it off her head and misdirected it into our goal,” Crooke said. “It was an unlucky game for us.”
The Pirates, who ended the season at 7-13, had some chances to get on the scoreboard in the second half. Their best opportunity came midway through the second half when a shot by Sahara Wilks clanged off the right post.
Matanzas finally scored with 14 seconds left in the game on Barham’s penalty kick.
“There’s me and Olivia (Slusarz), who take all of our PKs,” Barham said. “And I knew in that moment that I wanted it. That was mine. And I knew that this was the only chance we were going to get, and I needed to put it away, and I did. But with 14 seconds left, there was not much we were going to do. It was good to score, but it was also like, that’s the only thing that we can do.”
“They played hard and fought well. The results just didn’t go the way we wanted tonight.”
SCOTT CROOKE, Matanzas girls soccer coach
Rumplick had 10 saves in the game. The Pirates had six shots on goal against Falcons’ goalkeeper Louisa St. Vincent.
“I’m so pleased with these girls,” Crooke said. “We talked a lot about our 11 seniors and what we’ve built up with them over the last four years, how strong they’ve gotten and how good they’ve played. They played hard and fought well. The results just didn’t go the way we wanted tonight. But it is what it is. We’ll move on and work to build on the next group coming up.”
Barham plans to attend Pace University in New York City. She said she has contacted the school’s coach and hopes to have the opportunity to continue her soccer career there. She also plans to cheer on the next group of Pirates.
“I can’t wait to come watch them do something good during their high school years,” she said.
