After taking over as the team’s starting goalie last fall, St. Mary’s senior Emily Stephenson looks to lead the Spartans to the D4 North title in 2016. Courtesy Photo
By Lily Doolin
St. Mary’s girls soccer goaltender Emily Stephenson, known simply as “Goalie” to her friends, is entering her final year in the net for the Spartans.
With hopes of continuing the success she had last year, Stephenson is ready to take on whatever this season throws at her. She is a three-season athlete, also playing hockey (she’s the team’s goalie, unsurprisingly) and softball.
The Salem native entered the spotlight last fall when she earned the starting goalkeeper position for St. Mary’s as the Spartans started their playoff run in a tough Division 4 bracket.
“Emily really spearheaded our North final run,” said soccer coach Jim Foley. “She was one of the main reasons we did what we did.”
“Athletics at St. Mary’s are a big deal, and to be such a big part of that with the soccer team was awesome,” Stephenson said.
Stephenson was a major factor in the Spartans’ capturing of the Division 4 North title. Her best game of the playoffs was against a formidable Austin Prep team, which beat St. Mary’s twice during the regular season. The game went into a shootout, with the Spartans coming out on top in an upset. Stephenson made several crucial saves, including some incredible point-blank ones, to keep her team in the game, and gave an outstanding performance in the shootout to keep St. Mary’s alive.
“Beating Austin Prep was a big turning point for the team,” Stephenson said. “Our energy kept building from the first playoff game to the last.”
She hopes she can bring that same energy and success with her into this year, as she takes her spot in the net for the Spartans for one last season.
“It’s the beginning of the end, and our last chance to win anything,” Stephenson said. “I’m hoping for the best.”
She’s now a team captain, along with Casey Fraher and Mia Nikolakopoulos.
Foley said the decision to make Stephenson a captain was obvious.
“She’s always focused on the team more than anything else,” he said. “She’s a hard worker, she’s confident, and she has an incredible work ethic.”
In hopes of getting to the North final again this year, Foley is counting on Stephenson to bring to the table exactly what she did last year.
“We’re going to be looking for her to play just like last year, and have her bring the same attitude she had from last season,” he said. “The team is confident when she’s back there.”
While there’s a lot of pressure for Stephenson to come out stronger than ever, she knows her team has her back no matter her performance.
“If I’m playing good, my teammates are behind me. If I’m playing bad, my teammates are behind me,” she said, “Just having them with me makes me become so much better.”
Stephenson, though it’s her last season as goaltender for the Spartans, is excited to begin the season, and also hopes to bring her team back to the final.
“I’m very excited to get going and to start tryouts,” she said. “Best case scenario, at the end of the season, we’re holding that North title.”