With a mix of returning talent and up-and coming athletes, the East Haven girls’ soccer team is aiming to make a run to the postseason in 2021. In order to get there, Head Coach Jake Hackett knows that the Yellowjackets have to put in the work and improve every time they step on the field.

East Haven is coming off of a season that saw the team finish with an overall mark of 5-5-2 that included a playoff victory. The Yellowjackets claimed a 4-1 win versus Wilbur Cross in the first round of the SCC Division B Tournament before taking a 4-0 loss to Guilford in the semifinals.

Coach Hackett said that the Easties came into this year’s preseason practices with a hunger to get better. East Haven’s goal is to make progress with every practice session, and Hackett believes that his team is succeeding thus far. East Haven opens its campaign with a road game versus Branford at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Senior defender Emily Mazzucco is currently serving as the lone captain for the Yellowjackets. Coach Hackett plans on adding two more captains going forward. Mazzucco is a four-year starter with East Haven, and Hackett describes her as a true leader both on and off the soccer pitch.

“Emily has been a four-year starter for us. She is a leader to the girls both on and off the field. She’s vocal, she has great character, and makes those around her better,” Hackett said. “Emily is encouraging to all her teammates. She’s a great captain and doing all we can ask from a leadership standpoint. She’s a great player and leader. She’s doing great stuff for the team.”

Mazzucco will be joined on defense by two returning starters in seniors Kate Pycela and Alex Castro. Pycela plays in the middle with Mazzucco, while Castro is the starting left back.

With the graduation of captain Aimee DiVerniero, junior Gabrielle Gaetano will be taking over the starting right back role for the Easties. Sophomore Valerie Sortito and freshman Hannah Dudley are also expected to play key roles on defense this season.

Sortito is also slated to have an impact in East Haven’s midfield alongside juniors Sydney Herard and Gianna Mendez and sophomore Gianna Castellano. Coach Hackett said that Herard and Mendez are both special players and added that Sortito and Castellano will each be making their mark in the midfield.

“A player like Sydney is really something special. Her and Gianna really dictate the pace of the game and how we move the ball. Castellano and Sortito will probably be in there, as well,” said Hackett. “We have four strong players for the three-man midfield. Sydney and [Mendez] are special players, and the younger ones are stepping up and giving us everything they’ve got.”

On offense, East Haven features several athletes who will be relied upon to score goals. Castellano and Mendez will both be focal points on offense from the midfielder’s position. Senior forwards Anajha Nelson are Jocelyn Lucero are primed to take the next step this season. Coach Hackett said that he is also excited about the return of senior Emma Szwec to the team.

Last year, Emily Pycela netted 11 goals on her way to earning All-SCC Division B honors as a junior. Now a senior, Pycela is ready to continue producing as an offensive catalyst for the Yellowjackets.

“Emily has been a great goal scorer for us over the past couple of years. She’s continuing to put in the work to continue scoring goals for us,” Hackett said. “Emily scored 11 goals in a shortened season. She’s looking dangerous as always. She will have plenty of opportunities for us.”

With All-SCC goalkeeper Angelina Munoz having graduated, sophomore Seralyn Lendroth will now be East Haven’s starting goalie. Coach Hackett feels confident that Lendroth has the necessary talent and technique to succeed in goal after having studied under Munoz for a season.

As East Haven gears up for another year, Coach Hackett wants the Yellowjackets to play smarter and be tougher than their opponents. While he understands his team may not always have the size advantage, Hackett believes that the Easties will be successful if they play their style of soccer.

“We’ve always been able to be tougher and smarter than our opponents. We come prepared with a game-plan for every match that we play. Our conditioning program is extremely difficult,” said Hackett. “We aren’t as big as other teams, but we will work hard for the whole 80 minutes and push every day. We’re ready to grind it out. We’re going to be tough and smart out there.”

Although there were no state tournaments held in 2020, East Haven still got to take part in the playoffs by competing in the SCC Division B Tournament. Coach Hackett said that he’s looking for the Yellowjackets to keep improving one step at a time in their quest to make some waves in both SCCs and states this year.

“We always want to make both postseason tournaments, but our biggest goal is that we want to get better every single day,” Hackett said. “We go one step at a time at a time. That’s how we improve, with that mindset we’ll be successful in the regular season and, hopefully, the postseason.”

The roster for East Haven girls’ soccer team this year features senior captain Emily Mazzucco; seniors Kate Pycela, Emily Pycela, Jocelyn Lucero, Anajha Nelson, Alex Castro, and Emma Szwec; juniors Sydney Herard, Mia Flores-Soto, Gabriella Gaetano, Gianna Mendez, and Julia Crisci; sophomores Natalie Brown, Valerie Sortito, Gianna Castellano, Violet O’Hara, Mya Fenn, Jasmin Pinos, and Seralyn Lendroth; and freshmen Hannah Dudley, Valery Orrego, Dalexa Pereanez, and Roselyn Rosado.