Ashley McDermott ’26

Executive Sports Editor

Last week, soccer captains Elena Lindonen ‘26, Elsa Deutsch ’26 and Shea O’Neill ‘27 spoke with the Tripod on their goals for the current season, as well as their positions on the team. Each of the captains have brought their own strengths and initiatives to their captainship, and continue to inspire the team; with four wins under their belt, the team continues to persevere. According to the captains, some short-term goals included “building consistency and accountability as a team, whether it is bringing energy to practice or holding each other to high standards.” They agreed that one of their top priorities is that “the first-years feel supported and integrated into the program with no hierarchy.” Ultimately, the captains expressed their commitment to ending this 2025 season as being one of the top contenders for the NESCAC playoffs. Thus far, the team has faced three NESCAC teams; Bates College on Sept. 6, Middlebury College on Sept. 13 and Williams College on Sept. 20. These games provided a win, a tie and a loss, respectively. The women’s team still has a handful of NESCAC teams to play, which is keeping them focused on climbing to the NESCAC playoffs. 

On and off the field, the captains are committed to their roles as leaders and mentors. They said that ”becoming captains has shifted our roles as teammates to leaders that people look up to.” Some values that the captains have instilled included “building stronger relationships with our coaches and faculty through more open communication,” and for the team, “we hope to create an environment where our teammates feel like we are the ones they can go to when they have a problem. We want to make sure everyone feels valued.” They mentioned that their coach, Rachael Schroeder, has been a beacon of positivity for the team. Schroeder “pushes the team to play our best and always reminds us that we have what it takes to win.” Overall, their coach has built the foundation for the captains to rise into their new roles, as they all noted that “it has been quite rewarding to see how much trust has been built and has given us a deeper responsibility within the team.”

Looking forward into the rest of the season, the Tripod inquired about any particular games that the team is preparing for. The captains noted that any of “the NESCAC sports conference games are never easy.” Thus, the captains took on an initiative to practice not for a single opponent, but “for the skill level of NESCAC play and intensity.” There are still several NESCAC games that await the team this season. Their next game is Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Wesleyan University, who the captains consider a big rival within the conference. However, Lindonen, Deutsch and O’Neill are ”committed to approaching every game with the same mentality: to win.”