The goal for the Ansonia Travel U12 girls soccer team’s spring season was set at their postseason banquet last fall.
The goal? Simple — win the Travel A Division title in the South Central District.
Well, it wasn’t really simple.
There were talented league teams in Hamden, New Haven, Meriden, Southington, and Prospect that also had their eyes set on the prize.
But a confident team with valuable experience from the fall accomplished the goal recently with a 4 – 0‑1 record in league play.
The division title was captured with a 4 – 2 win against Southington May 30 at the Ansonia Nature Center’s Mary Cavagnuolo field. Ansonia, nicknamed the Sirens, also posted league wins at defending division champ Hamden 4 – 3 May 16, at home against Meriden 4 – 2 May 10, and against Prospect 6 – 1 April 25 at the Nature Center. The lone blemish was a 3 – 3 tie at New Haven May 3.
Ansonia’s confidence stemmed from the fact that they returned seven of eight starters from the fall team that was 2 – 0‑2 in league play, just missing a division title to Hamden (3 – 0‑1). In two seasons the Sirens are unbeaten at 6 – 0‑3 in league play.
The team is talented on both sides of the ball and is led by center Courtney Musante (25 goals in 13 overall games) and athletic goalie Patricia Kirejczyk.
Other top performers include starters center midfielder Haylee Johnson (five goals, five assists), midfielder-defender Victoria Koenig, defender Jovi Sofia Guevara, midfield-forward Ellie O’Rourke (two goals, seven assists), defender Nikki Dainiak, forward Kiely Geoghan (seven goals) and defender Faith Ries.
Key contributors off the bench are midfielder Kendall Evans, defender Kendall Cain, midfielder Madison Cocce, midfielder Haley Rich, forward Maya Frager, forward Jillian Stewart, forward Alannah Black, and midfielder Jackie Citalan.
The team is under the guidance of Manager Sean O’Rourke, and Coaches Kurt Johnson, and Nick Frager. The three all agreed that this year’s squad could win a league title but there was little room for error.
“The league is very competitive but our girls have worked very hard to achieve the goal,” O’Rourke said. “We knew that every game was going to be a challenge. The biggest victory was winning at Hamden but, honestly, they were all very tough games.”
The next goal?
Well, that would be to win the final friendly of the season at Southington June 13 and then to capture the Conte Tournament championship June 20 at Quinnipiac Recreation Complex in Cheshire. Last spring’s team made a great run to the title game before losing a 1 – 0 heart breaker in the championship game against Southington.
