After winning the ECC championship last year, the ELHS girls’ soccer team looks to repeat with many familiar faces.

“This year, I’m lucky to have a group that gets along famously,” said girls’ soccer head coach Rachel Redding.

For coach Redding, who led the girls’ soccer team last year to an ECC division one championship, having a team that gets along is a huge key for success.

“[Cooperation] helps to get everybody on board to work hard and want to win for each other,” said coach Redding.

The girls’ soccer team is led by the three senior captains: striker Abbie Belleville, outside left back Ava Pitruzzello, and center midfielder Sarina McCollum.

Other key players include junior center midfielder Ava Lombardo, junior striker Riddhi Venkatesh, and junior left midfielder Lily Antonino.

“We have a lot of speed on the team and everyone hustles. We all want to do our best and we want to win,” said senior Ava Pitruzzello.

Pitruzzello said that every player on the team knows what they need to work on and one player improving makes the team better.

“As a coach, Redding pushes us to be our best selves. She looks at every game and every practice as an opportunity to improve, and she really capitalizes on that,” said Pitruzzello.

According to Pitruzzello, coach Redding focuses on elite passing and hustling. Other skills that coach Redding emphasizes are being first to the ball and stepping in front of the other team.

“My expectations for the team this year are that everyone gives 100 percent on and off the field and for everyone to be flexible for the greater good of the team,” said Pitruzzello.