emiko avatar

We’re So Back by Emiko P. '25

a collage of preseason

1. Welcome Back to Campus

Preseason Kickoff

Preseason for fall sports is a span of two weeks in the summer before the semester starts, where women’s and men’s soccer, football, women’s volleyball, cross country, field hockey, and all the other fall sports come back to campus to prepare for the fall season. This period of time is when the hyphenated word of student-athlete flips and you become the mystical other thing: an athlete-student. No school – just a soccer practice at 8 am and another at 2 pm, mid-day naps, ice baths, and hanging out with all your friends you’ve been missing over the summer. 

Two players posing with beaver on a stick.

We had a team meeting to kickoff the start of preseason. Here are two of our sophomores with our team’s mascot: Hood Beav. He’s about 15 years old and has been passed on to an energetic freshman each year to lead the team in spirit. Yours truly was the bearer of Hood Beav freshman year :)

Meet the 2024 Women’s Soccer Team!

Freshman soccer class.
Hi, frosh!
Sophomore soccer class on field with sunset in background.
Hi, sophomores!
Junior soccer class outside.
Hi, juniors!
Senior soccer class on home field.
Hi, seniors!

2. Team Bonding

Women’s Soccer Bonding

We have 34 people on the team this year, so preseason is the time to get to know each other better.

Team gathered in circle.
Team bonding on the roof where we completed a bunch of challenges.
Players dancing together.
Incredible peformance of Gangnam Style!
Players dancing together.
Get ittttt
Team watching perfomance while smiling.
The team in absolute awe of their dance skills.
Soccer team picture on roof.
Fam photo on the roof!

Msoc and Wsoc Mixer

Group of men's and women's soccer on side of river.
Men's and women's soccer bonding along the Charles River! Talent show feat. an uncannily accurate Justin Bieber serenade, juggling, Just Dance, Pitch Perfect reenactment, Napoleon Dynamite dancing, rapping, and a group song of Country Roads. Core memory for sure :)
All of men's and women's soccer team together.
Here’s a really clear, high quality photo of us all together lol.

Media Day (random pics though because we don’t have the official ones back yet)

Three players jumping and posing.
RAH! Jumping pic. It's a classic.
Players hanging onto soccer net.
Let the sophs freeeee
Two girls standing with a girl on her head in the middle.
Not entirely sure how Emma W. '27 pulled this pose off!
Two soccer players jumping.
Jumping pic fail haha

3. Friendly Scrimmages + Our Home Opener

Harvard

Our third day of preseason we scrimmaged Harvard! As some of you may recall, this same scrimmage last year is when I got into a tackle that broke my foot and ended my junior season. But don’t worry – I emerged from this scrimmage healthy and with all bones intact! In fact, our team actually did pretty well, with a loss of only 1-2. Harvard ended last season ranked 17th in D1, so I was really proud of how our team competed against one of the top D1 teams in the nation!

Proof that we were beating Harvard at one point!
Three players posing on Harvard field.
A few sens post-Harvard game.

Southern New Hampshire University

We also played a scrimmage against a D2 team called Southern New Hampshire University. We won this game 5-2, and it gave the team some solid confidence for the start of the season.

Gordon College: Home Opener!!

We had our very first game of the season on our home field! I’ll let the pics show you how it went, but let’s just say we started the season off with a bang :)

Soccer players entering stadium.
Walking out to Roberts!
Players running in lines.
Warmup lines. If only you could hear Pepas blaring from the speakers.
Soccer players juggling a ball.
The sun starting setting during warmups! Friday night lights, baby >:)
Player at pointing scoreboard saying 3-0.
Started the season with a dub!!

4. Boston :)

I am so so so happy to be back in Boston, where I get to explore with my friends and get to witness a glorious sunset over the Charles River every night. Over the past three years, Boston has nestled its way into my heart and joined one of the many places I now call home.

Boat on Charles River.
The Charles is beautiful.
Two girls smiling next to river on bridge.
The return of The Bridgewalk: the nightly journey from campus to home back across the bridge (usually accompanied by a magnificent sunset).
Boston skyline during sunset.
I've missed this view :)
Sunshine hitting Boston building.
Boston is beautiful.

This preseason was awesome – I’m so grateful to finally be healthy again and to be playing soccer with my teammates. Shoutout to the women’s soccer team, and as always, ROLL TECH!!