Anderson
The Hopewell Valley Central High girls’ soccer team got off to a 6-0 start thanks to a number of contributors, and one who has particularly stood out is senior co-captain Lauren Anderson.
Anderson, who suffered through one of the Bulldogs’ rare off years as a freshman, has been helping to get the team back on track ever since.
“Lauren has been in a lot of big games,” coach John McGinley said. “Everyone just follows her lead. She shows everyone how hard to work and how hard to play.”
Though Anderson is not one of the bigger players on the field, McGinley said, she plays bigger than she is, and has great speed.
“She’s someone who is scoring goals and setting people up. She’s probably one of our most dedicated kids,” he said.
Anderson was the Bulldogs leading scorer through the first six games with five goals and three assists from her outside midfield spot. She had seven goals and an assist last year, four and one as a sophomore and one goal in ninth grade when she was called up from the freshman team five games into the season.
“I was really surprised when they pulled me up, but it was really great to be with the varsity level and hang out and play with them,” she said. “We had a lot of young players and we didn’t do well but it was a fun experience. I learned a lot. McGinley taught us a lot, that’s why we’re doing so well this year.
She said the team has gotten better each year, and this year is “doing amazing.”
“I think it’s just a lot of hard work. We have a lot of fitness tests; that was something to work toward,” she said.
Anderson definitely worked hard at that, which came as no surprise to the Bulldogs’ coaches.
“We changed things up this year and did a whole battery of fitness tests,” McGinley said. “Whether it was endurance, speed, the weight room, push-ups, sit-ups; she was our number one fit kid. She’s a great kid who works hard in the off-season. She’s very dedicated to being in the best shape possible. She’s the number one fit kid on the team.”
“I just ran every day and did weight training out of the season,” she said. “I like doing that. I’m looking to major in nutrition and exercise science in college.”
Anderson stared playing rec soccer at age 5, moved on to the Hopewell Tornadoes travel team and then played for the LSTS and PSA travel teams. She has been a midfielder or forward pretty much the whole time, but enjoys the responsibility of both defending and attacking from the midfield.
Her freshman year was atypical for one of the traditionally top teams in the Colonial Valley Conference , as the Bulldogs finished 4-14.
They followed with 13-5-4 year and reached the semifinals of the Mercer County and Central Jersey Group III tournaments. Last year Hopewell went 19-7-2, gained the MCT finals and got knocked out in the second round of the states.
Anderson was playing with a high ankle sprain and torn ligament in that game, and was not 100 percent.
“I think I sat for the second half of the county game,” she said. “It hurt really bad. My trainer (Tim Coyne) wrapped me for the rest of the games so I could play.”
Over the years, McGinley noted that Anderson has become a better finisher, as she used to have a penchant to either one-time a pass to get rid of the ball, or hang on to it too long and not shoot.
In terms of leadership , the coach said “She’s not the most vocal kid, which is fine. You’ve got to lead by example and pick your spots, and that’s what she does. She leads by her play and her work ethic.”
Anderson feels there are other things she can work on, noting that she missed a penalty kick against Notre Dame.
“It was the crowd pressure,” she joked. “We haven’t really practiced them, I kicked it right at the goalie. But I just put it out of my mind, forgot about it and moved on.”
And thus, she scored a goal later in the game, which the Hopewell coaches predicted would happen.
“She’s that kind of kid,” McGinley said. “She’s harder on herself than we are. When we take her out of the game she doesn’t like it, even though we’re just giving her a break.”
Anderson has had help this season. The coach had praise for the work of sophomore forward Katarina Nilsson and senior forward Christie Clune Persichetti.
“Katarina is getting some attention up front and other people feed off it,” McGinley said. “Christie is scoring goals and also setting people up. She’s great playing with her back to the goal and setting up plays.”
Outside midfielder Julia Kolano has also been a leader, while Rowana Parker has been moved to center back due to injury and done a nice job. Central midfielders Gabriella Crivelli, Ava Clarke and Sabrina Schrader have “done a lot of hard work that doesn’t show up in the stats. They help get the goals and defend well, which is crucial,” he said.
It has all led to Hopewell’s best start in several years, which is just fine with Anderson since this is her final year of school soccer. She says she will only play club ball in college.
“I really can’t imagine playing any other sport,” she said. “This is my last year, I’m cherishing every practice, every game.”
And the Bulldogs are cherishing one last year with the steady midfielder.
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