On Aug. 29, the girls’ soccer team played against rival Hollidaysburg and beat them with a final score of 2-1. This marked their first victory of the season. 

During the game, junior Aubriana Berardinelli played as a left defender. 

“I felt prepared going into the game because as a team we practice for weeks and weeks in advance,” Berardinelli said. “I think everybody, including myself, felt pretty good about it, and we were ready to win.” 

The team was confident they would secure a win early on. 

Sophomore Ava Frye plays center mid on the field. She felt pressure during the game due to her dad being the girls’ soccer coach. 

“It’s a very competitive atmosphere, and there was a lot of pressure on us before we arrived at the game,” Frye said. “It felt like a sense of relief to beat them. They [Hollidaysburg] definitely had a good target, and we needed to defend her, which we did well because we won.” 

The skill set of the other team’s players influenced the drive for performance on the field. 

Junior Sophia O’Dea plays the center defender position. She had to make sure she was quick enough to keep up with Hollidaysburg’s target to secure a win. 

“We got to double overtime,” O’Dea said. “Whenever someone scores in overtime the game ends. That made me kind of nervous, and I thought, ‘If I mess up, I’m the last line of defense.’ 

Double overtime broke the tie, and allowed Altoona to drive their win home with a final score of 2-1. 

“Everyone was excited,” O’Dea said. “The bench ran onto the field and everyone was really happy because it was a win against Hollidaysburg.” 

This marked the first win of the season.

“Hollidaysburg always plays well against us,” Coach Marc Frye said. “I thought we played better in the second half and in overtime to earn the win.”