Wildcats Top Wildcats

Five different goal scorers and stifling team defense propelled the Girls JV Soccer team to a 7-1 drubbing of Vermont Academy on Saturday. To the Wildcats' (Vermont) credit, those girls never gave up despite being out-classed in every aspect of the match. In short, today's 7-1 result was an accurate reporting of the relative strengths of the two sides. KUA was led today by the goal scoring prowess of strikers Erin Gregory-Davis and Christina Ryan, and by the intelligent defending of freshwomen backs Lindsay Peckham and Frannie Wetherbee. Both Abby and Riley Dole played with passion and intensity up top, and until a knock on the shin left her somewhat hobbled, sophomore midfielder Stephie Pipas played her best and most complete match of the season. Pipas is a fearless competitor, as her opponents quickly discovered on this perfect autumn day. Finally, the author would be remiss if the efforts of 9th grade athlete-phenom Maddie Long were not once again reported to the reading public. This is, for all intent and purpose, Long's first full season on a competitive soccer team. The distance she has traveled in two short months is nothing less than astonishing. Maddie roams the midfield, drifting from side to side and challenging expertly for 50-50 balls in a manner more reminiscent of a polished club player than of a relative neophyte. Long scored her first two goals of the season today, pouncing on loose balls and firing drives from the top of the 18 with incredible skill and accuracy. While hockey remains Maddie's primary athletic vocation, the Lakes Region had best take notice: Maddie Long is a soccer player whose star is on the rise. Next up for the girls from the Hilltop is a tough and skilled Exeter team. This should be quite a test for a KUA side that is 5-0-1 in it last six matches.