LANGHORNE, PA – The Neshaminy High School Varsity Girls’ soccer team put up a considerable fight this year, taking them all the way into the semifinals of the state tournament, where they were defeated by Pennridge during the 2022 season.

Varsity head coach Josh VanReed reflected on how the team’s attitude and hard work helped them finish the season with a 23-1-2 record.

“Our senior class – Carly Fox, Gyzell Rowan, Mercedez Paino, Aidyn Tierney, Alyssa Garibaldi, Paige Borkowski, Hannah Labadie, Kaylee Avallone, Alexis Ocasio, and Megan Lang – was very important in setting the tone for our success, with major contributions coming from Kylie Maxwell, Taylor Maxwell, Angelina Daino, Abby Collins and Allie Ortman,” VanReed said. “Overall the team was a group of girls who worked hard everyday. The running and the drills aren’t always fun, and you need players with the right attitude that will take each and every training session seriously.”

The players on the team did not only learn things from coach VanReed, but also left him with memories that he will take on with him. 

“As a coach, I knew that we had a very talented group of girls,” VanReed reflected. “I wanted each practice to be purposeful and intense but also have some time for fun.”

Senior forward and left-wing Aidyn Tierney thought back on her senior season, what this team means to her, and what she’ll miss most. 

“I really appreciate the friendships that I made and the celebrations,” Tierney reflected. “They were fun, especially because my teammates were my best friends. [I’ll miss] seeing my friends every single day because now I don’t have the opportunity to do that.”

During one of the team’s district championship games against Central Bucks East, Tierney scored the game-winning goal during a tied game in the last 46 seconds. 

“It was pretty exciting,” Tierney explained. “I was happy that I could do it for my team.”

One of the captains and key players on the team, Mercedez Paino, reflected on what being a captain meant to her and the valuable lessons she learned from holding that title.

“It taught [me] how to lead a team, and it definitely helped with my positivity,” Paino stated. “I love my team, and I was very grateful to be selected as captain this year.”

According to the Bucks County Courier Times, Paino, who is considered the team’s MVP by coach VanReed, was named “Girls Soccer Player of the Year,” which was an added bonus to her successful senior year, but it couldn’t have been accomplished without putting the work in. 

“When I found out I won this, I was speechless because I knew there [were] so many good players out there,” Paino expressed. “I’ve been training every single day with one day off [during] the week. I just knew if I wasn’t doing anything, there [was] someone out there that was.”

The team made it all the way as far as the semifinals of the state tournament this season, going even further than they did last year. 

“Our strive to win helped us get this far,” Paino reflected. “We have some really good talent on the team, and we are all so close. Our team’s chemistry was very good, and I think a lot of high school teams don’t have that.”