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GIRLS SOCCER: A Building Season for Agnes Irwin Fuels New Goals for Next Year

By Adam Fine Photos: Zamani Feelings, 11/09/22, 10:45PM EST

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Photos: Zamani Feelings

BY: ADAM FINE

ROSEMONT, PA-- It has been a long time coming for Agnes Irwin soccer. But their recent hot streak suggests a potential trend of perennial success.

The Agnes Irwin School soccer team hasn’t been a known powerhouse in the Inter-Ac throughout the past few seasons. From 2019 to 2021, the Owls were a three-win program and in 2020 the season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Junior attack midfielder Lily Fusco was a part of those three teams and has seen the program start to grow.

“In previous years we did not have more than three to four year-round club soccer players on the team at once,” said Fusco. “It’s tough to compete in the Inter-Ac where teams like Springside Chestnut Hill and Episcopal Academy have loads of club soccer players with deep benches.”

Club soccer is the travel teams that girls play on when their high school season isn’t in session.

The 2022 Owls are an entirely different group. They are finishing the regular season in third place in the Inter-Ac with a current 5-4-2 league record and this is not by accident.


Agnes Irwin junior Lily Fusco #14 - PSD Photo by Zamani Feelings

“The big change this year is that we have more year-round club players than ever before. As a result, our team soccer IQ is much higher and that’s been the real key to our success,” said Fusco.

The success started to gain momentum after tying Springside Chestnut Hill Academy 1-1 on October 14th. This was the first time in three years that the Blue Devils surrendered points in the Inter-Ac.

Senior midfielder and captain Maya Johnson has played a strong role leading the Owls to success. But this leadership doesn’t just begin when the clock starts.

“Motivating the team to stay positive and focused during practice and warmups is a big part of winning games,” said Johnson. "Our team has been trying to start games as strong as possible so we can carry the energy and hard work throughout the entire game, but the mentality starts in warmups.”

This approach proved to be the difference against the Blue Devils. The Owls came right out the gate and scored their lone goal in the first half off the foot of Gabby Bongiorno. Then for the entirety of the second half and OT, the Owls remained mentally tough and kept the Blue Devils scoreless.

After Springside Chestnut Hill, the Owls won four straight games (three straight in the Inter-Ac) and leapfrogged Notre Dame in the standings. Momentum is on their side, and in some cases, that’s all a team needs to make a deep playoff run.


Agnes Irwin senior captain Maya Johnson #5 - PSD Photo by Zamani Feelings

AIS junior Lily Fusco scores to give her team a 1-1 tie vs. Baldwin on Nov. 3rd:

“The postseason can be anyone’s game,” said Fusco. “Right now, we stand in third place which should put us in a good position for the first round of playoff action.”

For Johnson, she is motivated to make her last season count.

“In order to make it far we are going to have to want it,” said Johnson. We are going to focus on taking mistakes or tough games as motivation.”

A season to be proud of, Agnes Irwin indeed made it to the state quarterfinal round against William Penn Charter in the Pennsylvania Independence Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) playoffs this week.  After a hard-found battle that ended in a 1-1 regulation tie, penalty kicks became the deciding factor and culminated in a 4-3 win that advanced Penn Charter to the state semifinals. 

After this season, Johnson will move on to college, but Fusco will be a high-profile player returning for her senior season. For Fusco, the goal will be to exceed this year's already impressive winning record.

“I will come into my final season with a lot of perspective and experience,” said Fusco. “Authentic team chemistry and commitment to a high standard leads to winning seasons. If every player buys into that [next season,] there’s no reason we can’t be in the same tier as Springside Chestnut Hill and Episcopal Academy.”

And don’t count the Owls out just yet, they will have one more league game to play on Friday, November 11th at 1:30 against Episcopal Academy for EA/AIS Day.