by Jacob Gurvis

Girls’ soccer, 7-0, has played very well so far this season, according to coach James Hamblin.

Hamblin said that the Tigers are “creating a lot of scoring chances, and the team seems to be gelling well.”

The Tigers, who have not lost yet this season, have beaten Walpole, Milton, Natick, Braintree, Weymouth, Brookline, and Framingham respectively. In their seven games, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 23-5, with three shutouts, and scoring at least four goals in four games.

Senior Leah Howard, a captain with seniors Christina Callahan and Amelia Williams, said, “We have a lot of really strong players, and when we are able to connect and communicate properly to one another, we create some incredible plays and opportunities. The team is really hardworking, and many players stepped up and did an excellent job when we had a lot of injuries at the start.”

Even with such success, there are still improvements to be made, according to Hamblin. He said that the team needs to work on its communication, and “defending for the whole game, not switching off.”

According to Howard, the Tigers need to work on having better communication.

“Sometimes we have trouble finishing those plays due to a lack of communication. When we are all on, we can connect with one another and finish beautifully, but if we aren’t communicating, we lose a lot of great chances. Getting every player to be louder on the field is one of our main focuses, along with defending set plays,” she said.

Multiple key players have stepped up this season, according to Hamblin.

“Callahan, midfielder, is looking dynamic and dangerous in all the games. Seniors Shannon Fitzgerald and Angela Ward have been two forwards that have been confident and successful at scoring goals and junior Katie Nugent has been the rock in defense at the back,” he said.

For Howard, one specific game stands out this season as particularly special.

“I think the Weymouth game was a huge highlight. We had been struggling to connect and score off of our opportunities, and in this game, we were nailing every cross, shot and through ball. We were talking to one another, and playing the smart, simple balls,” she said.

The Tigers have played well, and have a couple hopes for the rest of this season, to elevate their performance even more.

According to Hamblin, the team’s goals for the remainder of the season are “to have a good work ethic and to keep doing the small things well.”

Looking ahead at the playoffs, the Tigers main objective is “to get there first and then focus on each game as it comes,” said Hamblin.

 Howard thinks that consistency and humility are huge down the stretch for the Tigers.

“I think if we keep doing what we are doing, and stay humble, we are on the right track. In past years, we have let down after having a strong start, so we need to uphold the hard work we have been putting in every day and continue improving in our weaker spots,” she said.

According to Hamblin, upcoming games against Dedham and Needham are crucial. Hamblin said that they are “both massive games in our season. Dedham has the same record as us and is looking like a tough fixture. Needham, on paper, looks like our strongest opponent,” he said.

The Tigers play Needham Tuesday, Oct. 1, and play Dedham Thursday, Oct. 3.  Both games are away.