The Mimbas Strike Again

After a great run last season that saw them reach the quarter finals, the Mimbas, Stuyvesant’s girl’s soccer team, are ready to outdo themselves once again. As the members face a major change in their team demographic this year, with more underclassmen (eight) than upperclassmen (seven) in their roster of 15, the Mimbas look to capitalize on their growth as a younger team and overcome possible barriers of inexperience and lack of team chemistry. Let’s explore how this fresh team has performed so far in the season.

The Mimbas executed a flawless season opener against Martin Luther King Jr. High School (MLK), winning the match with a staggering scoreline of 9-0. Despite this being the first game for many of their younger players, they faced little difficulty. Not only were they unstoppable offensively, creating 18 shots on goal and scoring nine, they also had phenomenal defense. Throughout the game, the Mimbas denied their opponents any chances, resulting in zero shots on goal from MLK. Senior co-captain Susie McKnight and sophomore forward Carson Lava spearheaded the offense, with McKnight scoring two goals and assisting on four, while Lava found the back of the net four separate times.

Continuing the spirit of their first match, the Mimbas dominated Laguardia High School in the second game of the season. With phenomenal play on both ends of the field, the Mimbas scored three times and had 18 shots on goal while conceding zero shots on defense. According to senior co-captain Sophia Wan Brodsky, “It was only the second game of the season, so we’re still learning how to play together. We really pulled it together during the second half, playing better defensively and communicating better, and I’m happy with the result.” Despite winning by such a large margin, the captains acknowledged that the team still has much room for improvement. For instance, many of the younger players’ limited experience in high school soccer has led to small mistakes on the pitch. According to Wan Brodsky, “[This] is a problem that will fix itself as the new players adjust.”

During their third game against Bronx Science High School, the Mimbas’s defense was challenged for the first time. Throughout the first half, the Mimbas had many chances on goal but were unable to finish. The game was closely contested, with the Mimbas and the opposing team both having seven chances on goal until the closing minutes of the match. Toward the end of the game, they conceded two goals, one from a penalty and another from an unfortunate own goal due to lack of coordination between the players. The opposing team preferred to play on the wings, which the Mimbas struggled to shut down. Nonetheless, the Mimbas did not go down without a fight, and the captains were not worried about the loss. Wan Brodsky remarked, “It’s only the beginning, and eventually we’re going to learn how to play more strategically and connect better as a team.”

McKnight and Wan Brodsky are optimistic about the future of the team. McKnight commented, “I’ve never seen so much talent from the underclassmen as I do this year.” If the Mimbas’s underclassmen can continue to compete with more skilled and experienced opponents, they can propel the team to new heights.

The captains are trying to hone the skills of the young players by leading practices every day of the week. Though the season just started, the captains are already seeing improvements in performance in their new players. Two players who have made drastic improvements during a relatively short period of time are sophomore goalie Kaika Berger and sophomore Karina Gupta. As many players had only played club soccer before this season, a few weeks of practice are bound to lead to even greater improvements in their play and overall understanding of the game. The future is looking bright for the Mimbas.