For the first time in team history, the Hebrew Academy girls soccer team won a game this Thursday at Greater Miami Academy (GMA). Amit Shushan (11th grade) scored a goal within the last four minutes of the intense game against GMA .
Despite losing to GMA 6-1 earlier in the season, the Lady Warriors put in all of their effort, constantly running back and forth with offense and defense on overdrive. Unlike past games, only 12 out of the 22 members of the team were present, leaving room for only one substitution throughout the entire one hour and 30 minute game.
“Going in to the game I was a little nervous because we had way less subs than usual,” said Mary Berkowitz (9th). “But it makes me and the rest of the team extremely proud that we pulled through and made it and finally won a game. Our hard work really paid off.”
The team has been through many coaches over their four year existence, but new coach Metodi Hristov was finally successful in gaining a win. Throughout the game, the score remained 0-0 until Coach Hristov made the bold decision to switch Amit Shushan from defense to offense.
“Eden was getting tired in the front and I thought that Amit is the only person that could score a goal,” said Hristov.
With only a few minutes left in the game, Eden Shushan (12th) kicked the ball down the field. Amit Shushan took it, ran with it, and kicked it into the goal.
For the last few minutes in the game, the team did not allow GMA to score against them. They strengthened their defense and the goalie, Shani Kravetz (12th), deflected each shot that came at her.
“I am so proud of my team, I couldn’t have done it without them,” said Kravetz.
For first year players, this was a monumental moment.
“This was my first time playing a team sport, and we didn’t have subs this game so I had to start and run for an hour and a half,” said Tehila Moore (12th). “That’s usually really, really hard for me, but this time it felt like nothing, because I had my whole team behind me and the energy on the field was crazy.”
When the soccer team was first established in 2013, they lost every game by the mercy rule, 8-0.
“It was so amazing to see how far our team has come and I’ve never been prouder to be the captain of our soccer team,” said co-captain Yael Bister (10th). “I’ve been on this team since 8th grade and winning used to seem so far fetched. We proved everybody wrong on that field.”
By: Rina Reich (12th Grade)