Andrew Fournier ’14, Staff Writer
Jenna Savi scored the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Southern New Hampshire
NORTH ANDOVER – The red hot Merrimack men’s and women’s soccer teams are both off to
tremendous starts this season. The men’s team lost their last game to St. Michael’s making their
record 5-2 while the women’s team tied Pace making their team’s overall record 3-2-1.
The men’s team has been on a roll since last fall when they had the best season in program
history. One might wonder how the team stays so consistent after such a successful year. Senior
Mattias Drummond sees a lot coming together.
“It was a struggle in the beginning, but most of our forwards and defenseman returned.
During our game with Adelphi we saw a new team emerging, one that is very strong defensively,
and now we’re coming together as a cohesive unit.”
The game also saw sophomore Douglas Searl notch two goals, a prime example of the necessary
depth needed for the Warriors to continue their hot streak heading into the future.
The team has also gained a new member, Brady, from Team Impact. This is a program designed
to match children with life-threatening illnesses to be a part of a college athletic team. He has
had a positive effect on each team member, especially Drummond. “Everyone loves Brady, he’s
our lucky charm. When he’s around it makes practicing and game time much more fun,” he said.
This is definitely a positive boost the team could use to be victorious in their coming games.
The women’s soccer team has also seen a surge, this one coming on offense from freshman
Alana Vecchiarello. Since their first game against Molloy, she has netted an impressive three
goals for the Warriors, making her second on the team for points. Senior captain Marissa
DePaolo has nothing but good things to say about her performances this season.
“It’s nice to see an underclassman take charge and be dedicated to the team. All of her
hard work is paying off.”
Clearly, she is proving that she will be a cornerstone that the team will build off of for seasons to
come. Another contributing factor to the early success for this team has been the emergence of
the group becoming a close knit family on and off the field. Senior Jordan Schnopp sees the
relationships that are growing on a day-to-day basis.
“The chemistry between the freshman and seniors this year is better than ever I believed.
We took a trip up to Canada before the season started and it was a great bonding experience
where we all were able to spend quality time with each other.”
These are all good signs for the team to keep the momentum in their favor as they head into
upcoming conference play.
