As the fall season approaches its end, the Saint John Vianney girls’ soccer team looks to finish the season on a high note. The Lancers have so far had a historic season; the girls enter the week of October 19 with a record of 13-3-1. 

The Lancers have beaten notable teams, including Central Regional (1-0), which at the time was ranked #1 in the Shore Conference, and Gill Saint Bernards (1-0), a top-10 team in the state. They have also put up an impressive 5-0-1 record in one of the toughest divisions, A Central. 

Senior Gabby Parker, leading scorer with 14 goals, is the leader of the Lancers along with 7 other seniors. Experience has seemed to be the key to the Lancers’ success. Along with Parker, who is committed to Iona University and Junior Kennedy Wallace, South Carolina commit, plays another huge role in Saint John Vianney’s high level of success. 

The girls entered the Shore Conference Tournament as the #2 seed. They beat Ocean Township 3-1, but eventually lost in the quarter finals to Toms River South, 4-1. Parker stated, “We know there are going to be bumps in the road; now it’s about how we handle them.” Although the outcome of the Shore Conference Tournament wasn’t the outcome the girls wanted, the next step for them is to regroup and look at what is ahead. 

The Lancers have a great opportunity to get back on track where they travel to Red Bank Catholic, the previous 1 seed of the SCT however lost in the quarter finals, on Wednesday, October 21, at 6 pm. 

The girls now look to states where they compete in South Jersey Non-Public A. Teams like RBC and Trinity Hall also compete there. The upcoming RBC game is a great preview on what a later round in the tournament can look like. Currently, the girls sit in the 1 seed for the tournament, at 30 power points, 4 points above the 2 seed. Parker reassures their confidence where she says, “ [The team] needs to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable and to take and learn from each game.” 

The Lancers have a great opportunity to bounce back and complete an already great season with a successful state tournament. Practice, moral, and growth are the Lancers’ biggest focal points as they keep their heads up and drive each other for the big goal: win the state championship.