Dana Hall Soccer Features Youth And Experience

After suffering nine injuries to starters last season, Dana Hall soccer coach Rob Ayres expects his team to bounce back from a .500 season last year with a squad that has a good balance of young talent and upperclassmen experience.

The Dana Hall soccer team includes five freshman, five sophomores, seven juniors, and five seniors. Despite the excitement of being able to field a tough team this year, coach Ayres will still push his team to play as a team; injecting his "we not me" attitude into the spirit of his players.

"All of us are better than any of us. We're going to work as a team, there is no star system here," Ayers said. "Last year was tough for us, with all the injuries. I've never seen that many injuries happen before, but we still are returning a great group of seniors and our leading scorer Dakota Donovan."

Of course they'll be taking every game seriously as if it is their last, but expect this group of talented girls to get up for a few games in particular; against rivals Newton Country Day, Pingree, Portsmouth Abbey, and Windsor.

In addition to their unselfish style of play, they also have several seniors who are talented enough to be able to play soccer at the next level, in college. Coach expects that one of his senior leaders, Mckenna Kelly, will be a swimmer at the college level. Led by captains Lindsey Melaney and Donovan, Dana Hall could have some notable success this year in the Eastern Independent League.