The John P. Stevens girls soccer team’s achievements were off the charts this year. The Lady Hawks had managed to have a season sweep of Edison for the first time in 16 years. They won their first game against Edison 6-1, and in their second game, had a 3-2 win on their home field. The Hawks were currently 4-2 in the white division and had placed 2nd place in the white division.

The Hawks’ first game against Edison took place at Edison on September 6th. Their first goal was an absolute sight to see as Sahasra Mendikar sent a beautiful ball to JP’s top scorer, Jaslyn Chen. Jaslyn took the ball past multiple defenders and scored the first goal of the game. Defender Sonali Mukherjee beat the Edison striker to the ball and sent a perfect pass right to Jaslyn, who then dribbled up the field to score JP’s second goal. Only six minutes later, she had the ball again and sent a spectacular cross straight to Sophomore Dhoon Amin headed it right past the goalie, resulting in JP’s third goal. In the second half, Dhoon made a great pass to Jaslyn, who then dribbled past four defenders, ensuring a picture-perfect goal. The Lady Hawks’ fifth goal against Edison was a spectacle as Jaslyn scored a goal off a free kick forty-eight yards away. Junior Neha Thota topped off the game with her goal, assisted by freshman Jia Bothra. Shreya Singh was not to be forgotten as she made nine incredible saves in that game. The game wasn’t only their first win of the season, but also JP’s first win against Edison in 6 years.

The pressure was on again as the Lady Hawks would play the Eagles for a second time on their home field on October 2nd. The Hawks were playing great, each pass calculated and each steal precise, until the Eagles took the ball and scored the first goal through a breakaway. Coach Gesualdo and Assistant Coach Clemens motivated the team from the sidelines just before Sahasra sent a flawless pass to Chen, who took it up the wing, dribbled to the middle, and shot, tying the score. The Hawks managed to hold the Eagles off for the first half until Edison had a second breakaway, ending the first half 2-1. The coaches gave the Lady Hawks an encouraging speech, and they came out stronger than ever as the whistle blew. Neha, who shot the ball out of the goalie’s reach, tied the game once again. Only 3 minutes later, defender Aviah Mui carried it up the field and sent a pass to Chen, who then scored the game-winning goal.

These two games resulted in the season sweep of the Eagles. They were also great days for individual stats, from Shreya getting 200 saves to Jaslyn Chen scoring 100 points for JP. Each one of the Hawks players gave it their all and defeated their rivals.

Coach Gesualdo, when asked about his thoughts on the Edison games, proudly stated, “I was incredibly proud of the girls after both victories.  In the first game, at Edison, we exorcised some demons from last year’s heartbreaking defeat and cruised to a 6-1 victory on Edison’s home field thanks to an incredible passing game and some excellent goalkeeping. In the second game, at home, we fell behind twice but rallied both times and scored the game-winner midway through the 2nd half in a 3-2 victory.  It was a game that showed their “never quit” attitude and was a reminder of how the camaraderie that has begun to develop in this Program can really make a difference.”