With a 4-0 win over St. Luke’s School in the New England Championship Final, Brewster Academy girls’ varsity soccer concluded the first perfect season in team history, finishing with a record of 16-0-0 and winning both the Lakes Region League and the New England Tournament.

Led by ’08 tri-captains Emilie Arsenault, Chanelle Roy, and Melissa Stang, the 2007 Bobcats played with focus, poise, and confidence in each and every game this season, and the captains’ motivation and inspiration led the team to many convincing wins; Brewster scored 63 goals, allowed seven goals (a team record), and earned nine shutouts.

Over the long regular season, the squad faced adversity on several occasions. In the third game of the year, Proctor scored in the second half to tie up Brewster, but Louise Warren scored in the second half to earn BA an early and important victory. Against Holderness, Brewster lost captain and starting forward Emilie Arsenault for the season, but numerous players stepped up over the course of the year to help make up for the loss of Arsenault, who continued to make contributions with several powerful speeches and letters to her teammates. Against a strong Phillips Exeter squad, Brewster found itself trailing for the first and only time this year, but two second-half goals from Louise Warren earned BA an important comeback win.

In the playoffs, Brewster earned the #4 seed. Brewster’s closest match came in the quarterfinals against #5 seed Groton School; Louise Warren scored with 23 seconds left in double overtime for the 1-0 victory. After that tense matchup, Brewster put together two solid team efforts to beat #1 seed Wheeler School in the semifinals and #3 seed St. Luke’s School in the finals to win its third New England championship in the last six years.

2006 Season Recap

The Brewster girls’ varsity soccer team followed up their 2005 first place finish in the Lakes Region League with a second-place finish in 2006, concluding the season one half point behind Proctor Academy.

Captains Kim Cooper, Elaine Fancy, and Kelsey Kirker led the team to an 11-4-1 overall record and a 6-2-1 record in the Lakes Region league. Highlight games included two 2-0 victories over top rival Holderness School and an impressive 4-1 victory against New Hampton in the season finale. On the season, Chanelle Roy and Samantha Brown combined to post seven shutouts. The team scored 42 goals and conceded only 17.

Despite finishing in 2nd place in the Lakes Region League and posting the 6th best Class C record in New England, the Bobcats were not selected to participate in this year’s New England tournament; however, the girls still put together a terrific year, posting Brewster’s fourth best regular season record since the program’s inception.

2006 Awards:

Most Valuable Player: Suzanne Fenerty
Career Achievement Award: Kim Cooper
Most Improved Player: Elaine Fancy
Golden Boot (most goals): Elaine Fancy, 11
Silver Boot (most assists): Kelsey Kirker, 13

2005 Season Recap

This fall, Brewster Girls’ Varsity Soccer had high hopes and goals, and the team worked hard to achieve those goals. Number one on their list was to defend their 2004 New England Championship. However, first the girls had to qualify for the highly competitive tournament. At the beginning of the season, the girls established another team goal, to win the Lakes Region League—a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2001.

Senior captains Rachel Berman, Carole LeBlanc, and Aly Rheault helped lead the team to a great season, one that saw the squad accomplish most of their goals. Brewster’s 6-1-1 record in the Lakes Region earned them the Lakes Region Championship, and their 10-5-1 overall record with one of the toughest schedules in Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire earned them the #6 seed in the New England Tournament. Unfortunately, the Brewster girls lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion, Rivers, failing in their arduous quest to repeat as New England Champions.

Berman and LeBlanc, both four-year starters, have wrapped up their impressive careers with the program. While at BA, the two won two New England championships and one Lakes Region championship; they compiled a 45-14-6 overall record. Berman, a defensive-minded left midfielder, finished her career with 7 goals and 10 assists. LeBlanc, a center midfielder, finished with 51 goals and 30 assists; her 51 career goals are a school record.

2005 was a great year for the team, as they won their third banner in the past four years and their fifth banner in the last six years. Truly, BA girls’ soccer has established a champions’ tradition.

2005 Awards:

Career Achievement Award: Carole LeBlanc
Coach’s Award: Rachel Berman
Coach’s Award: Kim Cooper
Golden Boot (most goals): Emilie Arsenault, Carole LeBlanc, 10
Silver Boot (most assists): Elaine Fancy, Carole LeBlanc, 10

2005 Lakes Region Champions:

In the regular season finale, Brewster’s seniors led the side to a 1-0 away victory over Proctor Academy. With the victory, Brewster won the Lakes Region League. Although they were declared co-champions in 2001, they had not won the league outright since 2000.

The class of 2006 set the tone early on: Tori Neal and Erin Wadlinger played with spark and energy, while Carole LeBlanc worked on creating scoring chances and Rachel Berman covered for a midfield that was uncharacteristically disorganized for much of the game. Without Berman’s covering ability, BA would have struggled. In the back, Rachel Morse, in an off-game, struggled against a speedy Proctor forward; however, her struggle and effort helped keep Proctor off the board, and she made some key defensive stops, while also assisting on BA’s goal. Aly Rheault anchored the BA defense, covering for her fullbacks and helping to protect her goalie, Hannah Byers.

Proctor’s seniors also played well throughout, keeping Brewster off the board for most of the first half and keeping their team in contention until the final whistle. Abby Isaac played another great game in goal, making multiple saves, while Erin Davey and Brittany King also worked well, setting up the Proctor forwards for much of the match.

Fortunately for Brewster, with about 15 minutes to go in the first half, senior Rachel Morse found senior Carole LeBlanc with a small but dangerous pass. LeBlanc then sent sophomore Emilie Arsenault in on a breakaway with a great through pass. Arsenault took a touch before beating the Proctor goalie to the far post, putting BA up 1-0.

As the temperature dropped and the rain picked up, the ball got a little slippery and play got a bit sloppy. After halftime, the game became a physical struggle, and both teams were up to the task. Fortunately, BA received a little help from the crossbar, and Hannah came up with some great saves to make sure that the final score would be 1-0. With the final whistle, the BA girls huddled in brief celebration before sprinting to the bus to get out of the cold.

Brewster finished the regular season with a 10-4-1 overall record, while Proctor closed with a 9-2-2 overall record. In the Lakes Region standings, BA ended up with 10.5 points, and Proctor finished with 9.5. Now its time for both teams to play the waiting game, as each hopes to be selected to the New England Class C Tournament.

Following the win, Brewster was selected to participate in the New England quarterfinals, where BA fell 0-4 to eventual New England champions, Rivers School.

2004 Season Recap

Brewster Academy Girls’ Soccer finished a fantastic season by winning the class “C” New England Championship; in so doing the players exceeded their own expectations and proved that a young team with only four seniors on the roster still could be the best team in New England.

With a starting lineup featuring one freshman and four sophomores, the team spent the beginning of the year learning how competitive the Lakes Region League is, as well as learning what it takes to win. Their early learning paid off with a great win over rival Holderness, as well as convincing wins over the competitive KUA and New Hampton sides.

After a tough loss to class ‘A’ Exeter, a well-coached team that doesn’t make many mistakes, the players focused on improving their team defense. BA rebounded by allowing only one goal in the remaining five regular-season games and earning their fourth invitation to the New England tournament in the last five years.

Brewster’s great goaltending and defense carried over into the playoffs, as the team earned shutouts in the first two rounds of the playoffs. In the finals, however, it came down to scoring. Unable to contain Greens Farms star player, the Brewster girls had to work together to outscore the other team. Showing great determination, Brewster fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn the win in overtime, giving Brewster its second New England title in the past three years.

2004 Awards:

Most Valuable Player: Katie O’Connell
Coach’s Award: Alaina Mitrano
Most Improved Player: Aly Rheault
Golden Boot (most goals): Carole LeBlanc, 12
Silver Boot (most assists): Elaine Fancy, 12

2004 New England Champions:

Brewster 5: Greens Farms: 4 (OT)

On a wet day at Governor Dummer Academy, the New England class C championship game took place. The finalists were Greens Farms and Brewster Academy. Greens Farms, the #3 seed, first beat Moses Brown, then Pingree School, to reach the finals. Brewster, the #5 seed, had to go through an excellent Rivers School side and a defensively stalwart Wheeler team. Both Greens Farms and Brewster were young teams; each only had three seniors playing and each had plenty of freshman and sophomores on the roster. For these two young teams, even making the finals is quite an accomplishment.

Neither team seemed happy with just being there though. Together, the two teams put together one of the most amazing high school soccer games in which Brewster has been involved. Greens Farms’ #17, Alli Rago, the best player Brewster has seen all year, opened the scoring about 10 minutes into the game. Her wicked dribbling pace and completely two-footed ability allowed her to dissect the Brewster defense, which was one of the best in New England this year, and drill a left-footed shot that found the far-post side netting. About five minutes later, Rago practically duplicated her first goal and put her team up 2-0.

It would have been easy for Brewster, already exhausted from the semifinal game, to call it a day and rest on the accomplishment of making it to the final game; however, they battled back. Elaine Fancy played a ball to the far post and to an onrushing Carole LeBlanc, who buried her shot into the side-netting to bring Brewster within one. The two would hook up again just before half-time; Fancy sent LeBlanc through on a breakaway, and Carole drew Brewster level.

At halftime, Brewster talked about keeping the momentum and attacking Greens Farms; at the beginning of the second half, the Brewster girls’ did what they had talked about. Their efforts were rewarded when, for the third time, Fancy found LeBlanc and LeBlanc found the back of the net. In stunning fashion, Brewster was now on top. They continued to play well and it seemed as if the game would end 3-2; however, Rago wasn’t done. Having scored two goals with her left, with a few minutes left in the game, she went right, beat 4 defenders and shot a rocket with her right foot that Ceili Kidney had no chance of saving. With the score tied, the teams headed to overtime.

In the first overtime, Brewster looked exhausted, like they had nothing left after playing 180 minutes of hard soccer over the previous two days. Still, somehow, the girls’ summoned up some energy and managed to attack. Carole LeBlanc, playing through back spasms at this point in the game, found some space in the attacking third and delivered a high cross to Fancy, who danced around a bit before finishing from six yards out. When the first half of overtime ended shortly after this goal, it seemed that Brewster might finally have the game under control.

Rago, though, still wasn’t willing to give up the fight. After Greens Farms was awarded a debatable free kick from about 30 yards out, Rago struck the ball, drilling a hard, arching shot that Kidney could not get to and that sailed into the back of the net. Once again, the game was tied; this time 4-4. With just a few minutes left in the second overtime, it seemed like the game was destined for overtime. Fancy thought otherwise; still running hard, she got the ball near the half then sprinted to the corner and delivered a beautiful cross to Emilie Arsenault, who trapped the ball and, taking no chances, dribbled it into the goal from about three yards out. A minute later, the final whistle blew, and, although some of the girls didn’t believe it, the game was over and Brewster Academy were New England Champions. The team swarmed goalie Ceili Kidney, whose 11 shutouts got them to the finals, and celebration ensued. There were many tears and plenty of joyous screaming, and each player had the chance to hoist the trophy. Many parents, faculty, and members of the administration, including the headmaster, watched and were proud of the Brewster girls’ who represented themselves, their team, and their school so well over the course of the long season and the New England tournament.

2003 Season Recap

At the beginning of the 2003 season, the Brewster Academy Girls’ Soccer Team, 2002 New England class “C” champions, had one goal: to return to the New England Championship Tournament and defend their title. The road to the tournament proved to be difficult. In 2003 Brewster played its toughest schedule ever: for the first time, Brewster played games against both tournament-bound Class A and Class B teams; Brewster also played an excellent Dartmouth College JV squad that featured many players ready for varsity. The combination of Brewster’s youth and the difficult schedule proved too difficult, and Brewster failed to make the tournament for the first time in four years.

While they were unable to return to the New England Championship, the girls' team, against some tough opponents, posted a good record, with 8 wins, 5 losses and 2 ties. In the Lakes Region League, Brewster finished with a 6-2-2 record.

Furthermore, the young team learned from their difficult schedule. The team never backed down and always played as hard as possible. By playing great teams from bigger high schools and colleges, each player had to play her best and work her hardest in virtually every game. Every girl improved, becoming more skilled and more ready to handle tough challenges.

In 2003, the young Brewster girls’ soccer team learned what it takes to be one of the best teams in New England, and they should be ready for success in 2004.

2003 Awards:

Most Valuable Player: Ceili Kidney
Career Achievement Award: Ai Woodaman
Defensive MVP: Kendra Moulton
Golden Boot (most goals): Maggie Brislin, 12
Silver Boot (most assists): Carole LeBlanc, Aly Rheault, 5

2002 Awards:

Most Valuable Player: Sadie Wright-Ward
Career Achievement Award: Amanda Wiggins
Most Improved Player: Morgan Constantino
Golden Boot (most goals): Sadie Wright-Ward, 25
Silver Boot (most assists): Amanda Wiggins, 16