Head Coach Jake Hackett wanted the East Haven girls’ soccer team to prove that it could be a contender in the Southern Connecticut Conference this year. After scoring some big victories throughout the season, including one in the playoffs, it’s safe to say that the Yellowjackets accomplished that goal.

East Haven finished with an overall record of 5-5-2 for the 2020 fall campaign. During the regular season, the Easties made a statement by earning a 1-0 win versus Daniel Hand and playing to a 1-1 tie against Guilford.

The Yellowjackets took that momentum into the SCC Division B Tournament, where they posted a 4-1 win against Wilbur Cross in the first round. East Haven’s season came to a close with a 4-0 loss to Guilford in a semifinal contest.

Senior captain midfielder Bella Pilato scored three goals for East Haven in its playoff victory versus Cross. Sophomore midfielder Gianna Mendez had the other goal in the win, while senior captain goalie Angelina Munoz made 12 saves for Coach Hackett’s club.

“I was very proud with how the girls played. As a team, we faced Wilbur Cross twice earlier this season. They’re a team we know pretty well. We were able to contain them and put a good performance in,” said Hackett. “Bella Pilato had a top-class performance to clinch it for us. It’s a great accomplishment for us. The past two years, we have gone out in the first round in the State Tournament. It was great to win an elimination playoff game.”

After defeating Cross, East Haven was eliminated from the SCC Division B Tournament with a 4-0 loss against eventual champion Guilford in the semifinals. Despite the defeat, Coach Hackett was impressed with how hard the Yellowjackets battled in their final contest.

“We played well. Guilford is historically a strong program,” Hackett said. “We played them twice this year, losing and then tying. Guilford came at us hard this game...We battled. We played well. It just didn’t fall for us.”

East Haven featured four seniors on this year’s roster in Pilato, Munoz, and defender Aimee DiVerniero, along with Teal Graziano, a midfielder. Graziano only joined the program two years ago and had never played soccer prior to that, but Hackett said that she learned fast and served as a great example of how hard work and dedication can pay off.

Pilato and Munoz were named to the All-SCC Division B Team by virtue of their performances during the season. On top of that, Hackett was selected as the SCC Division B Coach of the Year. All three captains entered the program in Hackett’s first year as head coach. Hackett said that DiVerniero, Munoz, and Pilato each brought something special to the program, while helping East Haven reach new heights.

“They came in day one with me. They were freshmen when I walked into this program. I wanted to build the program from the ground up, and I asked them to invest in hard work and perseverance. Ang, Aimee, and Bella couldn’t be better examples of that,” Coach Hackett said. “The way this program has grown over the four years does not happen without those three players. All three have been great players and great leaders. All of them have made a huge impact on this program and have changed the program for the better.”

While Hackett knows that it will be difficult to replace this year’s seniors, he feels confident in his returning players as the Yellowjackets strive to continue their ascent through the SCC. One of those players is junior forward Emily Pycela, who earned All-SCC Division B honors after scoring a team-leading 11 goals on the season. Hackett also noted Mendez and fellow sophomore midfielder Sydney Herard as two athletes to watch going forward. Both players have been starting since their freshman seasons and excelled in the middle of the pitch this year.

On the defensive end, Hackett will be relying on current juniors Emily Mazzucco and Kate Pycela next season, calling both of them “stalwarts” at the defender position. Hackett also commended junior Alex Castro, sophomore Gabriella Gaetano, and freshman Valerie Sortito for their performance on defense—an area in which East Haven was greatly improved this year. Current freshman Seralyn Lendroth is slated to take over as the starting goalkeeper next fall.

Coach Hackett is proud of his team for displaying great perseverance during the recent season. After dealing with COVID-19 protocols and the possibility that the campaign could end at any time, the Easties were able to reach the finish line and notch a playoff victory along the way. Hackett said that the 2020 edition of the East Haven girls’ soccer squad set the perfect example of what all future Yellowjackets’ teams should strive for.

“Every day we were out there, it felt more normal. The girls miss it. We became a family,” said Hackett. “Being socially distant made us closer than ever. The team offered some sense of normalcy. We created a great environment. To end on the note we did was great for us. We were successful, and I’m proud of them.”

The East Haven girls’ soccer team’s roster featured senior captains Aimee DiVerniero, Angelina Munoz, and Bella Pilato; fellow senior Teal Graziano; juniors Andrea Erazo, Emily Mazzucco, Kate Pycela, Emily Pycela, Jocelyn Lucero, Anajha Nelson, Alex Castro, and Emma Szewc; sophomores Sydney Herard, Mia Flores-Soto, Gabriella Gaetano, Gianna Mendez, and Julia Crisci; and freshmen Natalie Brown, Valerie Sortito, Gianna Castellano, Violet Ohara, Mya Fenn, Jasmin Pinos, and Seralyn Lendroth.