GIRLS SOCCER TEAM BATTLES BISHOP FOLEY TO 1-1 TIE

By Eleana Zhuang ’25 for The Alcove Student Newspaper. 

With the temperature at 40 degrees, winds gusting to 30 miles per hour, and rainy weather conditions, the girls soccer team hosted Bishop Foley May 2. No matter what mother nature brought, the Gryphons persisted, and the result was a tie against the team ranked No. 6 in their division.

“All of our games are very similar and we play only the best teams in the state,” said Assistant Coach Harry Berkowitz. “That’s how we like it; we don’t mercy any teams, we don’t win by a lot against any teams because we choose not to play those games. All of our games are extraordinary physical, tough battles and this game was very similar to all of them in that sense.”

Starting off strong in the first half, just 10 minutes into the game, Anjali Brahmasandra ’24 scored on a free kick, putting Greenhills up 1-0 to the end of the first half.

“We had a really strong first half,” said captain Fatima Shah ’23. “We played really well offensively and played the ball well.”

This wasn’t Brahmasandra’s first time scoring the first point of the game. She scored on a free kick earlier this season as well, leading the Gryphons to a 1-0 win against Everest Collegiate.

“It was really lucky that both of the shots went in at both games,” said Brahmasandra. “I didn’t really think much of it during the game, I was just trying to figure out the best way to take the shot.”

In the second half, Berkowitz believed the team fell short of their standard as Bishop Foley replied with a goal, tying the game to 1-1.

“We did not play in the second half—we did not play our game at all,” said Berkowitz. “I don’t know why, but you’ve got to play all 80 minutes, not just 40 minutes of soccer.”

Even though the second half was an upset for the team, one aspect of the team persisted throughout the game: the defense.

“I think we have one of the best defensive teams in the state,” says Berkowitz. “So when we’re under pressure we are able to defend well and defend them all game. They didn’t create many opportunities to score.”

Goalkeeper Sabine Zebib ’24 was one to look out for the whole game. She made a total of seven saves that kept the Gryphons on their feet.

“Sabine had an excellent game,” said Berkowitz. “She has progressed and worked really hard at it and made saves, caught crosses, didn’t make any mistakes, and kept us in the game.”

Before this season, Zebib had never played soccer, let alone goalkeeper. But she picked up the skill quickly, which shows in the performance she made during the game.

“In the earlier games, I was pretty nervous and I wasn’t confident in my abilities,” said Zebib. “But now I feel like I have improved in my goalkeeping and am confident with my decision-making skills.”

Berkowitz has hope for the rest of the season. With districts coming up, he stresses that the team doesn’t focus on winning or losing each game; they focus on the improvements to get better for the big game at the end of this month.

“Every single game that we play is information for us on how we can play better and win the districts, so I would like to see us continue the work that we have done,” says Berkowitz.

Most photos are from the game against Cranbrook that took place on April 13. See more here.