By Sadie Kolodner
Starting at the end of August, the once-deserted fields became full of cleats and laughter as the Varsity Girls’ Soccer team (GVS) started their season. Preseason, which lasted from August 24th to September 7th, serves as a great time for Rye Country Day sports teams to get acclimated to being back on campus. Players bond both with teammates who they missed over the summer and new ones. Captain Caro Stronski ‘27, recently named to the Lohud Elite 11 Watchlist, stated, “we have a lot of new players from the freshman class and new seniors who have joined the team, which has added a lot to the level and energy of the team,” Abigail Smith ‘28 added that her “favorite part of the team is how diverse it is,” yet everyone still manages to “work very well together and have a good dynamic.”
The 2026-2027 team is led by captains Caroline Pereira ‘27, Caro Stronski ‘27, and Ella Schwalbe ‘27. During preseason, the captains welcomed the new players by hosting team lunches and dinners. This year, the team also welcomed Coach Ellis, along with returning Coach Smith.
GVS played their first game against Portledge School on September 9th, winning 5-3. “I think we really have set ourselves up for a good season,” Smith said, commenting on their performance. During the game, players Summer Sisitsky ‘27 scored two goals, and Sarah Anderson ‘27 scored three goals.
Looking ahead into the season, Captain Pereira talked about their game against Greens Farms Academy (GFA) at home on October 15th. “We were really close to beating them last year, and I think our team is a lot better this year,” Pereira noted. Another game to look out for is on Wildcat weekend (October 17th), a weekend full of camaraderie and Wildcat spirit. GVS is playing Nightingale Bamford at 1 pm. Pereira also mentioned how she is looking forward to senior day, where the team will face off against the Masters school on October 20th. Not only is this an important match for our seniors, but it is also an important FAA game, so look out for announcements to support!
