WORTHY COMPETITOR: Hun School girls’ soccer player Bryonna “Breezy” Worthy controls the ball in a game earlier this season. Senior forward Worthy scored four goals in Hun’s first four games as the Raiders have gotten off to a 2-2 start. Hun was slated to play at Pennington on September 25 and at East Brunswick High on September 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though the Hun School girls’ soccer team dropped a 1-0 nail-biter at Monroe High last Saturday, Joanna Hallac saw her squad’s performance as a step forward.

“I thought we played a much more consistent game than we did against PDS (a 3-2 loss on September 13); it was a much better 80 minutes,” said Hun head coach Hallac, whose team moved to 2-2 with the setback.

“We were moving the ball around well, combining, and playing quick. Defensively, we were more consistent. There were a few breakdowns but Leah [Sutphen] came up with some saves. Our defense made some good stops. It could have gone either way; it was a very evenly matched game.”

Reflecting on the first two weeks of the season, Hallac believes Hun is moving in the right direction.

“We have a tough schedule and I am pretty pleased with 2-2 right now,” said Hallac.

“I feel like we are getting better. The younger players and the new players are starting to jell a little bit. We are starting to get used to new positions, new players, and a new system.”

Senior forward Bryonna “Breezy” Worthy has gotten off to a blazing start with four goals in the Raiders’ first four games, including two in the loss to PDS.

“When she came to us sophomore year, she had got by on her speed and her ability to strike the ball; we really worked with her over the past two years on getting her to understand the game and now she is one of the smartest players out there,” said Hallac.

“She understands how to move off the ball and how to work with her teammates in a way that she just didn’t have when she came to us. It has made her a much more dangerous player and one that is poised to make a really big splash this season in terms of goals. She has been playing great.”

The smart play of junior Nicole in the midfield has been another big plus for Hun.

“I have been really happy with Nicole, she just keeps surprising us with how much she keeps improving,” said Hallac. “Her ability to not only see the field and distribute but her ability to take on people one on one has been a real positive for us. She is getting more used to the newer players and starting to play with them a little more which I think is going to be even better for us.”

Two of those new players, junior transfers Lea Tarzy and Allie Cowan, are already making their presence felt. “Lea has been on an academy team this year; she was at Shawnee High before coming to us,” said Hallac, noting that Tarzy committed to attend Bucknell University and play for its women’s soccer program.

“She came in just in time to get into the PDS game. I think once she starts connecting with the players a little more off the field and on the field, she will really be making a major impact for us playing in the middle with Nicole. Allie Cowan, whose brother Devon is a lacrosse player here, decided to come to Hun this year. Both of them have added a lot of depth and a big spark for us in the middle.”

Hun has been getting a spark from freshmen Olivia D’Aulerio and Kiki Mauer.

“Olivia had fantastic speed, which is something that we need,” said Hallac.

“Breezy has it in spurts but Olivia has it more for longer distances. That provides something on the flank for us that we haven’t had in the midfield for a while. Kiki sees the game well; she is definitely starting to adjust to the speed of play and the different levels.”

With Hun slated to play at Pennington on September 25 and at East Brunswick High on September 29, Hallac believes her team is primed to take things to a higher level.

“We have got the potential, we have got the ability to do it if everyone is showing and doing what they need to do,” said Hallac. “We are trying to keep getting better every time we step on the field.”