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12/09/2018 11:00 PMThe Valley Regional girls’ soccer team turned in a nice performance in 2018, while establishing the groundwork to take another step next year. The Warriors recorded six victories and a pair of ties to earn a berth in the Class M State Tournament during Lloyd Warren’s final season as the team’s head coach.
Coach Warren felt the Warriors showed some solid skills on the pitch, while going up against some difficult opponents in the Shoreline Conference this year. Warren believes that Valley had the ability to advance further, but didn’t get the chance due to some tough-luck losses versus stiff competition.
“Realistically, we felt like we had the quality to make a run into the Shoreline Conference Tournament. We really prepared and felt like we gave ourselves the best opportunity, but the Shoreline Conference was very strong this year,” Coach Warren said. “A lot of our games could have gone either way, and we found ourselves on the wrong side of those results. We had some bright spots on the season where the girls played some great games, but we just didn’t have that final push.”
The Warriors started putting things together in the middle of the season, when they went on a three-game win streak that culminated with a 3-1 victory over Old Saybrook. Coach Warren saw just how well his team could play when it was performing at its highest level during that stretch.
“I think that we played our best soccer against Old Saybrook. At that point, it seemed like everything came together. The girls were firing on all cylinders and put it away at the right moments,” said Warren, whose team made states by posting an 8-1 win over Amistad in its regular-season finale. “They played the way we wanted to see. They possessed the ball well and moved it out of the backfield. We need to play a lot more games like that consistently.”
Valley received solid play from throughout its roster this year. One of the team’s biggest contributors was junior Sam Calamari, who finished with three goals and 10 assists on the season. Calamari earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors for the Warriors.
“Sam is one of the most composed, high-level players I’ve seen,” said Coach Warren. “She sees things on the field that others don’t. The way she plays helps improve the other players around her, and that’s incredibly valuable.”
The Warriors featured some serious firepower on the attack with junior forward Ava Duval, who was named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year after scoring 16 goals to go with three assists. Duval also garnered All-Shoreline Conference Second Team recognition. Coach Warren thinks that both Duval and Calamari will be a major force for Valley Regional next season.
“Ava’s strength is her ability to create her own space and to strike the ball from anywhere,” Warren said. “She just needs to keep working and just continue to be a good teammate and leader. She and Sam will be top players in the Shoreline Conference next year.”
The Warriors also received great play and tremendous leadership from Lauren Salbinski. The senior captain was presented with Valley’s Defensive Player of the Year Award and did whatever was necessary to help her teammates.
“Lauren is a versatile player and a silent leader. She always knew what the team needed. She would sacrifice for the team and support everybody on the pitch. She was a rock in the backfield,” Coach Warren said. “When we had some injuries late in the season, Lauren realized what we needed and became an even bigger force to help us get into states.”
Fellow senior captain Allie Ruel received the team’s Warrior Award for her gritty style of play on the field. Ruel proved a steady leader in tandem with Salbinski.
“Allie’s a fighter. I could call on her in any moment to do a difficult job, push the team on, and lift and support the group,” Warren said. “She’s not just a tough player, but she’s a listener, and can support the team in a difficult situation.”
Junior Jenifer Caulfield made a huge contribution for Valley Regional, winning the team’s Most Valuable Player Award. Caulfield proved a force on defense who helped set the tone for Coach Warren’s club.
“Jenifer enabled us to play the style of soccer that I wanted. We built from the back of the field. She had this desire to win everything,” Warren said. “Next year, she’s going to help push this team over the line.”
Freshman Taryn Frazier debuted on the varsity stage to rave reviews this season. Frazier earned the Rookie of the Year Award for Valley Regional.
“She became a mainstay on the team. It took her a bit of time to understand how she can have an impact, but she nailed down her role,” said Coach Warren. “She had a huge impact in a number of games.”
With the 2018 season complete, Warren is leaving Valley Regional to coach the women’s soccer team at Mitchell College in New London. Warren feels that the Warriors are in a good place and primed to make some noise in the Shoreline Conference in 2019.
“We’re returning a large number of varsity juniors. Next year, on paper, the girls should be one of the top teams in the conference. A lot of teams are graduating a lot of players, and we’re maintaining many players who know each other well,” said Warren. “I feel like I’m leaving the program in a positive way. I’ve only been here for three years, but it feels longer with the work I’ve done over the years with the Valley Soccer Club. I’ve worked with some of these players for the last 10 years. I feel we’ve done some really good things and created a positive environment.”
From the Sidelines
The Valley Regional girls’ soccer team’s varsity roster includes senior captains Lauren Salbinski and Allie Ruel; seniors Alexis Finnerty and Kelli Schaefer; juniors Lauren Allen, Caroline Baldwin, Ashley Bill, Sam Calamari, Jenifer Caulfield, Alexis DellaRocco, Ava Duval, and Celia Ghilani; sophomores Madelyn Costello, Hanley Ferrucci, and Hannah Jenkins; and freshmen Sarah Cole, Ellie Cost, Taryn Frazier, Caroline Hutchinson, Elizabeth Klomp, and Sophia Surber.
The Warriors notched regular-season wins against Westbrook (9-1), Fitch (1-0), Hale-Ray (7-0), Old Saybrook (3-1), Haddam-Killingworth (1-0), and Amistad (8-1) this year. Valley’s losses came against Cromwell (2-0 and 2-1), North Branford (1-0), Coginchaug (2-0), Morgan (3-1), Portland (3-1), Woodstock Academy (2-0), and East Hampton (1-0). The Warriors also earned ties versus Haddam-Killingworth (2-2) and Old Lyme (2-2).
In the Class M State Tournament, No. 26 seed Valley faced off against No. 7 Wolcott and lost a 4-2 contest in the first round to finish the year with an overall record of 6-9-2.
Lloyd Warren finished his third season as head coach of Warriors. Lauren MacDonald was Valley’s assistant coach, and senior Kelli Schaefer volunteered as the team manager. Warren thanked Valley Regional Athletic Director Jeff Swan, Administrative Assistant Sheila Robida, and Valley boys’ soccer Head Coach Mick Fearon for their support, along with the Valley Soccer Club, Patrick Dilger, Michael Baldwin, Karen Cole, Chris Salbinski, Steve Tolley, and all the coaches that he’s had the privilege to work with.