Amalia Selph, left, gets set to kick the ball for Naples as Sigonella’s Claire Martinsen approaches during Saturday’s DODEA Division II girls soccer matchup. Selph, a 16-year-old sophomore, scored three goals helping the Wildcats easily win 6-1. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
NAPLES, Italy – Naples swept to easy victories in DODEA-Europe girls and boys soccer action Saturday that left their Sigonella counterparts still seeking their first wins.
The Naples girls topped the Jaguars 6-1 with sophomore Amalia Selph putting three balls into the net. Madison Hoy scored Sigonella’s single goal on a penalty kick.
Sigonella’s boys couldn’t match a Naples team rebounding from a painful loss last week against American Overseas School of Rome. Naples handily won 5-0.
Despite the losses, players and coaches from both Sigonella teams said Saturday’s games were some of their best yet.
Melodee Hodosky, right, is in possession of the ball for the Wildcats as Madison Hoy defends for the Jaguars during Saturday's DODEA Division II matchup at Naples Middle High School. Naples went on to win the game 6-1. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Girls
The Sigonella girls aren’t thinking of the season in terms of wins or losses, according to coach Shawn McCarthy. Rather, the team’s focus is on successfully displaying skills and tactics they learn in practice.
“We did, so that’s good,” McCarthy said, calling Saturday’s game a “loss on the weekend but a success for us going forward as a team.”
After a tough first half that saw the Sigonella girls struggling to complete passes, the team was stronger in the second half with improved passing in the center, said Hoy, a 17-year-old senior who plays mid-center.
“I’m happy that we at least got one (goal) against Naples,” she said.
The Naples girls also saw improvement with Saturday’s game being the first time the team was able to maintain the pace it wanted, assistant coach Matteo Pugliese said.
“Our passing was really on point today and we were able to build more chances … from the back all the way through to our strikers,” Pugliese said.
Selph characterized the game as one of the team’s “best” due to work on possession and passing during practices that “paid off.” She credited strong freshman players who have been “helping our team play … better as a team than we did last year.”
Bodhi McElree dribbles the ball for the Jaguars during Saturday's DODEA Division II boys soccer matchup at Naples Middle High School. Naples beat Sigonella 5-0. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Milosz Bober, front center, is in possession of the ball for Naples as Nate Poole, and Ryder Kirsch defend for Sigonella. The Wildcats earned a 5-0 victory in Saturday’s DODEA Division II boys soccer matchup at Naples Middle High School. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Boys
The Naples boys got off to a slow start in the first half with the team underestimating the Jaguars and not playing to full potential, 17-year-old Joshua Banks said.
“We played very well in the back throughout the whole game,” said Banks, a left winger. But in the second half the team played better offense “generating much more chances to score and that’s exactly what we did.”
Naples coach Chris Anderson said the team bounced back from last week’s loss, hitting their stride in the second half. The Wildcats are looking for their third championship this year, but players need to stay healthy, he said.
“Our benches are a little bit light because we have a lot of people who are injured,” Anderson said. “That’s probably our greatest weakness at this point.”
Saturday’s loss did little to dampen Sigonella’s pride in in playing what coach Andy Reardon called the “best game we’ve had all season.”
The team did a much better job of getting to the ball on defense, getting possession and moving the ball up and down the field, Reardon said.
Looking forward, the season is about the basics and “making sure we can manage the game at our pace,” he said.
That sentiment was echoed by 17-year-old senior Bodhi McElree, who pointed to improvement in players keeping their heads up during the game and moving past struggles on and off the field.
“We showed more heart and passion (today) than we have in any other game,” McElree said.
