“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary,” Coach Monica Tarzy explained during the girls varsity soccer team’s huddle before their home game against Wootton. The team certainly put an amazing amount of hard work into the game last night against a truly daunting first opponent.

The Rockets kicked off at 7:15, starting strong with an attack on Wootton’s half of the field, but the Patriots hit back a little harder, managing to score about five minutes into the game. A little shaken, RM struggled to get the ball to goal, until a hand ball in the box led to a goal off a penalty kick by Vanessa Martinez-Penn.

The Rockets stepped their game up in the second half, coming back harder and more confident after an inspiring talk with Coach Tarzy and captains Martinez-Penn, Maeve Givens, Sarah Savonis, and Patricia Swim. Overall, the Rockets’ speed of play in the second half excited the spectators and players on and off the field. Junior Hannah Greco said “I was really impressed with the way we communicated and passed and worked as a team.”

Unfortunately, about 30 minutes into the second half, a lapse in the team’s defense led to two Wootton goals. As junior Summer Oh puts it, “We were holding Wootton well…they just managed to break through our wall during the last few minutes of our game…taking a lead that does not accurately reflect the level of play.”

This year, the team is playing with a short memory, looking forward to the next game rather than focusing on past ones. Always seeking to improve their skills, the team is using their mistakes to make sure they crush their next opponents. A new addition to the team, sophomore Hannah San Sebastian, embodies this spirit, saying, “The RM girls worked so hard. Unfortunately, I don’t think we got the result we would have wanted, but we put in all our effort and I know we’re going to do so much better in the future.”