With New Coach, Girls' Soccer Looks for Playoff Run

After exiting the FCIAC playoffs in the first round and the state playoffs in the second, the Staples girls' soccer team will be heading in a new direction this year as Wreckers graduate Nicole Ross takes over as head coach.

The physical education teacher was the team's JV coach last season and played soccer for the Lady Wreckers during her high school years.

In addition to Ross, senior captains Shannon Moss, Jaclyn Katz and Kelly Bohling will be on the field.

While the Lady Wreckers lost standouts Katie Burke and Kat Krieger to graduation, last year's No.8 seed in the FCIAC returns with several key players. Among them are senior Nicole Brill and juniors Abbey Lake and Jessie Ambrose, who once again will be in goal after starting between the pipes as a sophomore last year.

A more experienced Ambrose will be a key in helping the Lady Wreckers improve their record in one-goal games (0-4 last season).

Finishing games has been a point of emphasis for Ross during the preseason and its importance is starting to resonate with the players.

"Coach Ross has really stressed fitness in the last two weeks of practice, so we'll all have the endurance to last and put forth our best efforts the entire game rather than dying out at the end, like we did last year,"  Moss said.

With the girls beginning their season at home on Tuesday against Wilton, the legitimacy of the team will be determined very quickly. Staples plays seven of its first games on the road in the always tough FCIAC.

For Moss and the team, the goal is to improve on last season (9-8-1) and get over the hump in the playoffs.

"Our biggest goal is to make it far in states and FCIAC because in the past three years we haven't made it past the second round," Moss said."