MARBLEHEAD — They say injuries are part of the game, but the Marblehead girls’ soccer team has faced more than its fair share of injuries this fall. Dealing with two season-ending injuries, the Magicians aren’t making any excuses as they continue to battle each game and show their depth. They currently stand 7-3-4.
Last year, Sadie Halpern was the team’s leading goalscorer with 15 goals; she is now sidelined with an ACL injury. This season, Ainsley McDonald was one of the best defenders in the Northeast Conference and is out for the season with an ACL injury, which occurred against Peabody earlier this month.
“The season so far has been pretty injury-plagued. Our striker, Sadie Halpern tore her ACL, and our best center back, Ainsley McDonald also suffered a torn ACL,” head coach Lisa Wales said. “Before that, Sydney Ball was out four games with a concussion, we had two other players miss time with concussions too. We had to deal with two sprained ankles, and one girl started the season coming off of a quad tear. We definitely have been hit hard with injuries, but every time we asked the girls to step up when a girl was out, they did. I couldn’t ask more from them.”
Despite dealing with all these injuries the Magicians continue to prove they are one of the toughest teams to beat. That’s because players are constantly stepping up and performing at a high level.
One player who has stepped up her game is Callie Gilmore. The sophomore midfielder is the team’s leading goalscorer with 10 goals and three assists so far.
“I can’t express how complete of a player Callie Gilmore is. She’s so smart, she anticipates the play well, and has a cannon of a shot. She’s hungry for goals and is selfish in front of the net when she has to be. She is someone you want in your foxhole,” Wales said. “Sometimes we put her up as a striker even though she’s an incredible midfielder. She’s just a sophomore and was able to step into a starting role with no problem.”
To fill the void left by McDonald, Wales decided to put Ball in defense, as she’s one of the most versatile players on the team.
“We moved Sydney Ball back to center back. She’s so good she can probably play any position. She is incredibly important to our team and is a great leader. She’s physical but also technically sound. Losing Ainsley was a huge blow, but we asked Sydney to fill in and she’s done a great job for us,” Wales said.
Youth is definitely on Marblehead’s side with plenty of underclassmen getting valuable minutes on the field. Center defensive midfielder Lucy McDonald has showcased her understanding of the game becoming a crucial part of the team as a freshman.
“As a freshman, she’s a physical and tough player. If you get by her you’re really going to have to earn it. She knows exactly when to tackle and she can score,” Wales said. “In our win against Beverly, her goal was with the outside of her foot. That takes an incredible amount of talent.”
In addition to youth, the team boasts some experience and leadership. Captains Sophie Robinson and Ava Machado were praised by Wales for their leadership.
“They’ve done a terrific job. I’ve been working with them mainly from this past spring and throughout the summer. They’ve done a great job of representing the team well and setting the tone,” Wales said. “They know when to come to me with something, but know when they need to handle stuff on their own. We work well together and instinctively the two of them have great leadership skills. They’ve done a great job and it shows. I’m really proud of how they’ve handled themselves and dealt with the adversity we faced.”
The Magicians have four games left and are currently ranked No. 8 in Division 2.
Although they are missing key pieces, Marblehead is a team that continues to prove the doubters wrong and is looking to finish the regular season strong with the hopes of clinching home-field advantage.
