GHS Girls Varsity Soccer team ties their rival, Concord high school 0-0 on september 16th, 2022.

Alexis Tramontozzi, a senior defender on the varsity team explained how her stomach was in knots on game day because “we were playing against our old coach.” The Concord team’s coach, Andrew Mattarazzo, was the GHS Girls Varsity Soccer coach for the 2020 season. This natural rivalry has driven the seniors for the past two years. 

Although some of the newer players don’t understand the rivalry, Ari, a sophomore, says, “[the seniors’] energy fed onto us as they would talk about it, prepare and, during the game, it [the seniors’ energy] was even better.” The girls prepared for the game with a pasta party. Ari says “A pasta party is a tradition the day before a game where the whole team goes over to someone’s house and we all eat pasta and hangout.” This tradition generates energy for their games.

The varsity girls take Concord High very seriously. “Practices get more intense as the game gets closer” Alexis, a defender on the varsity team states. The girls want to win, and Alexis says, “we deserve to win against Concord.” 

The preparation and energy brought to the game however, did not result in a defeat against Concord. The players couldn’t help but feel “frustrated” and “physically exhausted.” Ari felt like “the more challenging part of the game had to have been going into double overtime. It becomes physically exhausting.” Double overtime is an extra 20 minutes of playing. 

Although the girls had to leave Concord without a win, they still remain hopeful for the rest of the season. They have a record of 7 wins, 7 losses, and 1 tie, and Ari says “we will continue to have determination and teamwork within the team. ”