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10/03/2023 12:38 PMWith any organized sports team comes challenges and obstacles. What separates the good teams from the great ones is their ability to overcome those obstacles and come back stronger than ever. The Guilford girls’ soccer team has set a true example of hard work and determination as they look to put themselves on the fast track to success.
Grizzlies Head Coach Regina Sullivan, who is currently in her fourth season with the team, has enjoyed seeing the attitudes the girls bring to the field day in and day out and their ability to bounce back from tough times and remain positive.
“It’s been great; our team’s resilience and positive attitudes are praiseworthy,” said Sullivan. “Even when confronted with challenges, they maintain their optimism and unwavering determination to work together.”
At the forefront of that positivity and close-knit squad are three captains in Téa Gambardella (junior, midfielder/forward), Ava Mehring (senior, defender), and Ella Young (senior, defender). All three of them have shown tremendous ability to set a precedent for how their teammates should carry themselves and have been the glue to the Grizzlies squad.
“They’ve been doing an amazing job leading by example and setting a positive example through their attitude, work ethic, and sportsmanship,” said Sullivan. “In addition, they have embraced their roles and communicate positively, motivating other players and helping to create a sense of belonging with all players.”
The Grizzlies compete in the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) in the Oronoque Division for overall conference play and in Class L for overall states play.
Last season, the Grizzlies were the No. 6 seed for the SCC Tournament and fell in the first round to Daniel Hand. For the state playoffs, Guilford was the No. 19 seed, coming up short in the second round to the Wethersfield Eagles by a final score of 1-0.
This season, Guilford hopes to utilize its experience to make an even deeper postseason run, both at the conference and state levels.
“We’re hoping to qualify for postseason play, both the SCC and state tournaments. We’d love to get as many rounds as possible in the state tournament,” said Sullivan. “But making it past the second round would be a great accomplishment for this group.”
Sullivan noted that along with the well-versed talent available on the roster, there is also a mix of new, less experienced players that Sullivan hopes will continue to work as hard as they have to do their part to drive success.
“We have a lot of new faces in the lineups this year, and everyone has been working well together and contributed to our success thus far,” said Sullivan. “Téa Gambardella and Maddie Gasparini (senior, forward) are currently the leading goal scorers on the team.”
The Grizzlies currently sit at a 5-1 record, with their most recent win having been on Sept. 26 against the Sheehan Titans, 3-2. Guilford’s only loss so far came at the hands of Daniel Hand in the early parts of the season, when the Tigers grabbed a 3-2 win.
With the rigor and intensity that can come with a long season, Sullivan explained that her players will have to focus on the team’s main goals and not lose sight of what they are trying to accomplish as they play more and more tough games and build a strong environment for everyone.
“I think we still have many challenges ahead of us this season; we are not even halfway through our season. Due to the weather, by the end of September, we will have played three big games, which will all be physically and mentally demanding,” said Sullivan. “Also, high expectations the players place on themselves or on the team can also be challenging to manage while maintaining our focus. Again, we are looking forward to postseason play. In addition, we are hoping for no/minimal injuries and continuing to create a positive team chemistry and community.”
Sullivan is assisted on the sidelines by Jess Matthias and Lou Monaco.
The Grizzlies full team roster is comprised of Tea Davison (senior, midfielder), Jordan Fitzgerald (senior, midfielder), Gasparini, Ella Heudorfer (senior, midfielder), Mehring, Arianna Palumbo (senior, defender), Gia Turcio (senior, defender), Young, Agnes Batters (junior, defender), Abigail Burkle (junior, goalie), Gambardella, Kaylee Geballe (junior, defender), Ella Heckler (junior, midfielder), Riley Hickey (junior, midfielder), Addison Isreal (junior, goalie), Elizabeth Johnson (junior, midfielder), Sophie Pascarella (junior, midfielder), Keira Reynolds (junior, defender/forward), Claire Tuttle (junior, midfielder), Maya Kos-Graham (sophomore, midfielder), Gianna Natale (sophomore, midfielder), and Sena Uhimwen (sophomore, forward).
Grizzlies Girls Soccer 2023 Regular Season Results and Schedule
Sept 7: Daniel Hand 3, Guilford 2
Sept. 12: Branford 2, Guilford 3
Sept. 14: Amity 1, Guilford 2
Sept. 15: Lauralton Hall 0, Guilford 6
Sept. 18: East Haven 0, Guilford 6
Sept. 26: Sheehan 2, Guilford 3
Mon. Oct 2: vs Daniel Hand at 5 p.m.
Thurs. Oct. 5: vs Branford at 6:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 7: vs Career/Hillhouse at 1:30 p.m.
Tues. Oct. 10: vs Lauralton Hall at 5 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 13: vs East Haven at 3:45 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 16: vs Amity at 3:45 p.m.
Wed. Oct. 18: vs Career/Hillhouse at 6 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 20: vs Sheehan at 3:45 p.m
Mon. Oct. 23: vs Sacred Heart Academy at 5 p.m.