From their first game on September 10th to their most recent game on October 28st, the girl’s Bernards High School varsity soccer team continues to dominate and soar through this season. Continuously being called the “underdogs” in articles, this year’s soccer team shows how a little determination and a lot of perseverance can prove so many teams and people wrong. Although this year’s soccer team is relatively young, as they have seven freshmen, there is so much talent and courage that each and every girl holds on this team. As they have had a rough couple of years behind them, with a new coach, and a fresh new team, these girls stand at a 9-3 record in the conference, as well as being at #1.

Particularly this year, these girls have shown up and worked all together to create such a powerful and strong bond on and off the field. In an interview with freshman starter, Andee Costabile, she shared that “Coming into freshman year, I was super anxious about not fitting in, but this team has taught me so much about friendship, but even more so about family. Seeing my sisters smile and wave in the hallways makes everything a heck of a lot easier.” Andee, as a freshman playing forward, has had already thirteen goals this season as well as seven assists. With the hunger and determination for winning, the Bernards girls soccer team continues to succeed and move forward together as a family.

The Bernards girls soccer team has shown up multiple teams this season including Mount Saint Mary’s and Somerville, in which, this year was the first year since 2016 that Bernards has won against both of those teams in girls soccer. They have continued to surprise and beat teams that in previous years they haven’t including Gill and Vorhees. Junior Captain, Sydney Incardnato comments that “this year we came in hungry with a young team full of energy and our grit is the best it ever has been. It’s nice to know you can have people who you can trust on and off the field.” Syd is a center midfielder and has had twelve goals and eight assists this season so far. As the season progresses, the girl’s soccer team continues to climb up to the top as they enter states as well as their newest win in the conference.

As their season flies through with big wins against competitive teams, On October 27, on Wednesday night, the Bernards girls soccer team won the conference against Warren Hills with a 1-0 score for the first time in eight years. With renouncing the title of the Bernardsville girls soccer team, they took the win as the youngest, smallest, and most inexperienced team, coaching-wise in the division. Fans piled throughout the bleachers and showed their support by fleeing onto the field after the game to join the girl’s soccer celebration. The importance of this game shows how determined these girls are and how they went from some complete strangers in August, to strong and powerful team players.

With this year’s season being a drastic change from previous seasons before, the majority of the credit goes to Derek Boudreau, the new varsity coach for the girls’ soccer team program here at Bernards. Coach Boudreau has stepped up in so many ways to help mold these girls into a powerful team. He has helped prove that our team is not the “underdogs” people say we are, but the team other schools have to watch out for and be prepared for when it’s game time. In an interview with Coach Boudreau, he states that “We know that while we are incredibly talented and hungry, we are also youthful and inexperienced in both coaching and playing. This group understands we have to heighten our levels of focus, hard work, and consistency.” Coach has helped prove that staying on top of your game and working with determination will help lead the team into more future victories this season. Coach also explains that “This group has taught me that this is exactly where I want to be, and coaching these girls is absolutely what I am meant to do. They are not only an extended part of my own family, but I consider this group as a family on its own as well.”

This year’s team has shown great resilience as well as staying on top of their game throughout the season. The great victories and the tragic losses have continued to make this team so much stronger physically and mentally. Together, they have accomplished winning the conference, as well as starting their games for states. With Coach Boudreau leading them, the girls’ Bernards varsity will put up a competitive fight and stay positive surrounded by the great team around them. As Molly Fitzsimmons talks about this team, they conclude that “this team has been such a great support system for me this season, it really does feel like family.”