By Richard Slate
In a few years, people will probably look back at the 2009 season as the turning point for the Gloucester girls' soccer team.
After not winning a game during the last three seasons, first-year head coach Alex White led the Fishermen (8-9-1) to the MIAA Division 2 tournament where they fell to Danvers 4-0 in the first round.
For her remarkable turnaround, White was recently named Eastern Mass. Division 2 Coach of the Year.
Technically the award wasn't a surprise to her since she was at the meeting where coaches voted for the honor but still White was taken aback.
"I was pretty shocked, at a loss for words," explained White. "Taking the team from nothing to something was obviously difficult but I felt there were others more deserving."
The fact that the Falcons (19-0-3) were still alive in the postseason, playing Cardinal Spellman last night in the state semifinals, and they had later beaten two teams by a larger margin than Gloucester was something that White was happy to tell her team about at the team's banquet.
"After Danvers beat Swampscott 6-0 and Bishop Fenwick 6-0, I told everybody 'I guess we didn't do that bad,'" said White. "Especially after we had lost to them 7-0 the week before. It's exciting for us, the fact that we were able to do better than Swampscott and Fenwick. The girls may not think it's a big deal after how bad they felt after losing 4-0 but we did well. I wouldn't be surprised if Danvers wins it all this year."
Six seniors will depart for the Fishermen: tri-captains defender Miranda Orrell, midfielder Katina Tibbetts and defender Lizzie Scatterday along with striker Mishelle Wood, striker Sandra Morris and defender Miriam Brooks.
Still White feels like the future is very bright for her program.
"We started three freshmen and they adjusted to the speed of play," said White. "Going forward there are good things to come with new rejuvenated JV players to come up. It'll be difficult to replace the seniors but we're in a good position to do well."
Sophomore midfielder Clare Pleuler, a second-team Eastern Mass. All-Star, freshman striker Kali Cook and freshman midfielder Bianca Giacalone were the team's top offensive threats and they'll all be a year older and stronger. Meanwhile, both goalkeepers, junior Ellie Cornavaca and sophomore Laura Spilman, also return.
