The Uniondale girls’ soccer team is treading carefully as it opened the season 1-1-1. The Knights graduated 11 seniors from last year’s roster, but the underclassmen have begun filling those shoes quickly, according to coach Kevin Daly.
“There’s Genesis Samper she’s probably one of our most naturally gifted players. She’s got great feet and she’s playing very well,” Daly said.
Samper’s skill was evidenced in the Knights’ 7-1 win in their second game of the season Sept. 5 against Great Neck South when Samper found the back of the net twice, with an assist from Brianna Marquez, one of the senior captains.
Daly wanted to highlight Marquez, detailed as one of the most determined players on his roster.
“She truly never gives up, got a great attitude, she’s super quick, very strong,” Daly said. “She’s a wrestler in the winter so she has that toughness, she’s doing really well.”
In that same victory, Marquez totaled 2 assists: the one to Samper and another to Kendra Gordon’s lone goal. There was plenty of scoring to go around that night thanks to freshmen Haily Mendez-Ramos and Ashley Zambrano: the latter netted a goal with an assist from Ramos, and Ramos also added an assist.
Uniondale is by no means reliant on fresh talent; some of the anchors include Ashley Bonilla, the squad’s senior goalie, experienced with starting in net. Daly said that even after a sample size of just three games, her saves are quicker and her kicking has improved tremendously compares to last year.
Right by her, senior defender Yolany Rivera, Daly called her the last line of defense before the keeper. Labeling her as quick, strong and aggressive, he is happy to see her clearing the ball every time she has the chance to do so.
At midfield, Day highlighted who he believes are some of his best players: sophomore center-midfielder Kim Hernandez and freshman Emely Orozco.
“Both of those are very skillful and technical on the ball, and they’re helping us maintain control of the midfield,” he said.
Daly added that the surprise of the season so far as been Gordon. A senior, she has been a track athlete for her entire high school athletic career until now when she decided to give soccer a go. That attempt, so far, is going well, according to Daly. She scored in a 2-2 draw with Malverne/East Rockaway Sept. 2.
“She is unbelievably quick,” he gushed. “Kendra has one of the fastest times in New York for the 100 [meter]; she technically has a lot of work to do, but she scored 3 goals in the first 3 games so she’s doing great, I just wish we’d had her a few years earlier.”
What Daly is most impressed with is the on and off the field chemistry that the girls have together, he said.
“The seniors have guided [the freshman], the captains have guided [the freshman], so far so good,” Daly said.
