It had been a while since a Lawrence High girls’ soccer team went into the autumn with legitimate optimism, but few could doubt fifth-year coach Emily Palombo and her players for feeling excited about the 2017 season.
Lawrence is not only coming off a 12-7-1 campaign—its best in over a decade—but returns 10 seniors who have all been with the program since at least 10th grade. After enduring growing pains as sophomores, the group blossomed as juniors. The dozen victories equaled the Cardinals combined total from Palombo’s first three years.
“I’m a big believer that experience helps out,” the coach said. “Last year they had the experience. Everyone in that program believed that they were this good. They beat Robbinsville and beat Metuchen (early in the season) and they got this confidence and just played off of it. They have a no-nonsense attitude. They’re going to go out there and get it done.”
Of the 10, four saw time as freshmen—Ally Wakeman, Morgan Franc, Kiley McCue and, toward the end of the year, Victoria Wierzbowicz. Seven more came up as sophomores: twin sisters Sarah and Jen Zoll, Julia Faranetta, Sara Hatfield, Yasmine Hachicha, Maddie Kemo and Kaley Banegas, who will unfortunately miss the season due to injury.
Although the Cardinals went 4-13-1 in 2015, four of the losses were by one goal, including three straight 1-0 setbacks.
“There were definitely frustrations and they were a bit overpowering,” Wakeman said. “We had 14 sophomores that came that year, three seniors and three juniors, so to have such a young group was a bit difficult. The play on varsity is a little different than the JV and the style that Palombo wanted us to play. We knew we could be better, we just weren’t reaching the intensity and the level we wanted to be at.”
Wierzbowicz, who Palombo calls “the coolest kid ever,” agreed that it was a whole new world on the varsity.
“In terms of speed of play and intensity, it was a big change in comparison to JV,” she said. “But it was also a great learning experience. As a team, we struggled greatly that season. We had many bumps in the road.”
One good things about bumps, is that when the swelling goes down, what’s left is usually stronger.
“There were mistakes made that allowed for our success in our junior campaign,” Wakeman said. “We were struggling at midfield, we weren’t playing wide, we had to be able to communicate better, switch the field better. That’s all the stuff we were able to put in the next year. You learn from your mistakes.”
Wierzbowicz felt that instead of the team getting down on itself, the players looked upon it as a learning experience that helped develop team chemistry. Coming into their junior season, Wakefield said the players wanted to change opponents’ perception that Lawrence was an automatic win.
“I feel that first game with Hightstown (a 2-0 loss), we were like ‘We don’t want another losing season, we want to turn this around,’” Wakefield said. “We came back and we beat Delaware Valley and Metuchen and all those other teams. I think the big one was beating Allentown and having a really tight game against Steinert. We were ready to show everyone in the CVC we could make an impact in the conference.”
And so they did, although Wierzbowicz felt the team “surprised ourselves to a certain extent.”
“However, we also believed it was time for the change,” she said. “As a team, we knew that big things were ahead of us that season and we were capable of having a good season, but not to the extent of what we accomplished. We didn’t start the season the way we wanted to, but it was a good wake-up call and we were able to see what we could truly accomplish.”
Wierzbowicz added that as the season progressed, it became less about winning and more about working hard while having fun. That attitude helped produce victories, and over a decade’s worth of chemistry did not hurt either. Wakeman estimates most of the seniors have been together since kindergarten playing rec ball and then for the Lawrence Hamnett Hot Peppers.
“Because we grew up together, we act like sisters and at the end of the day we have each other’s backs and love each other on and off the field,” Wierzbowicz said. “There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t talk to one another or hang out with each other since we are all so close.”
Wakeman is one half of the top goaltending duo in the CVC. She started during her first two years, but missed all of last season with a dislocated kneecap that required surgery and had her on crutches for six weeks. It took nine months for Wakeman to get back to feeling normal on the field but she came to every game and supported the team while aching to be playing again.
What she saw was Hatfield step in and play outstanding, earning All-CVC honors. At the start of this season, Hatfield was hurt and Wakeman was back in goal during the Cardinals’ 2-1 start. Despite missing last year, Wakeman had already shown Syracuse enough that she will be playing with the Orangemen next fall.
“They’re both very similar,” Palombo said. “They are very technical goalies. They work really hard on positioning and their technical skills. They challenge each other, they both are good with getting low and just making some incredible saves. They’re vocal, they own their box. They sometimes do things and I don’t know how they do it.”
Keying the team is Wierzbowicz, whose search for a college is based on academics over soccer. She is joined by Franc on the outside.
“Morgan is physical and aggressive and has no fear of throwing her body around,” Palombo said. “She’s very vocal and works hard. Vicky is the engine that makes us go. She has a great vision of the field. She loves to play the game, it’s obvious when she steps out there. She reads the field well, she works hard. She led us with five assists last year.”
Also starting amongst the seniors are Faranetta and Hachicha in the back and Jen Zoll in the middle.
“Julia is like a rock back there, Jen Zoll will be a stopper and attacking mid; she’s pretty versatile back there, and Yasmine is also solid in the back,” Palombo said. “Sarah Zoll is coming off injuries and just getting back into shape, Kiley was hurt last year but will come back and see some time, and Madeline Kemo has also had some injuries but she keeps us motivated and plays an important role. They’ll all contribute in some way.”
And they hope to make this a senior season to remember through lessons learned and successes gained over the past the past two years. Neither Wakeman or Wierzbowicz talk about wins and losses this season, as much as laying a foundation and leaving a legacy of hard work.
“The seniors definitely want to leave the program better than we found it,” Wakeman said. “We don’t just want success our junior year, but our senior year as well and we want them to have success the following year. Our goal is to give 110 percent; nothing less nothing more. Play to the final whistle. That’s something we wouldn’t do in the past. We would put in a good fight for 70 and 75 minutes of a game and give up in the last 10.”
Wierzbowicz reiterated the goal of hard work, and added “we ultimately want to leave a positive impact on the girls’ soccer program. Working hard and having fun are the two most important things for a team, and something we remember is that it isn’t always about winning. However, when you work hard and have fun, the wins will come. We never want teams to underestimate us based on our past seasons history. We are just so excited for this year and cannot wait to see what we will accomplish.”
Neither can Palombo, although it will be a little tough when the season is over.
“I’m really close with them,” the coach said. “I’m going to cry immensely when they leave me, they’re just such a special group of girls.”
Lawrence soccer player Vicky Wierbowicz takes the ball up field during a 1-0 home loss to Robbinsville Sept. 7, 2017. (Staff photo by Samantha Sciarrotta.),
