Eight seasoned seniors form foundation for GA girls' soccer

Posted 9/9/19

Still wearing their warpaint after a hard-fought victory are the senior captains for Germantown Academy's 2019 girls' soccer team; (from left) Kiley Kergides, Maddie Burns and Elizabeth Van Blarcom. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Eight seasoned seniors form foundation for GA girls' soccer

Posted

Still wearing their warpaint after a hard-fought victory are the senior captains for Germantown Academy's 2019 girls' soccer team; (from left) Kiley Kergides, Maddie Burns and Elizabeth Van Blarcom. (Photo by Tom Utescher)[/caption]

by Tom Utescher

Germantown Academy graduated six girls from its 2018 varsity soccer team, with goalkeeper and four-year starter Ally Clark being among them. Clark was named team MVP last year and is now playing at Columbia University.

The Patriots have eight experienced seniors this year, however, and some younger players with a good deal of varsity experience. One of the 12th-graders is the returning starter in goal, Lilly Altomare, and the Patriots' captains are three of her classmates: Maddie Burns, Kiley Kergides and Elizabeth Van Blarcom. Burns is a Norwood-Fontbonne Academy graduate who has committed to play lacrosse at the University of Michigan.

The other seniors are Sasha Capers, Grace Kaupas, Eleni Kytzidis and Grace McGettigan. A pair of returning juniors, Paige Lugossy and Devin Smith, are now accompanied by two of their classmates, Penelope Fleckman and Dara Kaufman.

Sophomore Lilly Funk already earned a starting spot as a freshman last season when fellow freshman Alex Goodridge also was on the varsity roster. The other 10th graders on this year's team are Caitlin Boland-Szura, Kate Cooper, Cailin Hasson and Cam Hermance. Cooper's sister Lily, a senior, is one of the team managers.

The three freshmen who appear on the varsity roster are Sage Battisto, Chloe Sweitzer and Taylor Weiss.

Chris Nelson is embarking upon his ninth season as the Patriots' head coach, and assistant coach Kelli Kaput joined the staff in the second year of Nelson's tenure. A new assistant this year is Laura Escalona, a product of Shipley School who went on to play Division I soccer at Providence College ('13).

sports