Mary Kate Auerswald, Ava Fratesi, Jordan Hays Middleton and Lanier Loper are all coming to the end of their soccer careers at Washington School, and Lady Generals head coach Jeffrey Giachelli said each will be missed and remembered.
All four seniors bring something special and unique to the soccer team, the coach said.
Giachelli described Middleton as a true team leader. “Jordan Hays is your true on-field General,” Coach Giachelli said. “She has never been afraid to take charge on the field and to lead by example.”
Fratesi, meanwhile, has been a highly skilled player throug the years that has amazed both her teammates and her opponents with her soccer ability. “Ava is the player we can always rely on when we need a spark,” Coach Giachelli said. “She is not just talented, but she also is a great teammate.”
Loper has been a key member of the team as well. As the goal keeper, Loper was the last line of defense for the Generals who this season have a 9-6-2 record. “Lanier has done a fine job for us, and she has allowed us to win a number of games. She always does her best.”
Auerswarld, finally, may be the smallest of the seniors, but according to the coach, she always plays with a gigantic heart. “Mary Kate is little bitty, but she always steps up big. She always tries her best, and that is all I can ask of her. In fact, one of the great things about all four seniors is they always try their best, and I have never had to ask them to give me effort because they always give 100 percent.”
While the four Lady General seniors said they were grateful for the years they have spent on the team, they also said they have some unfinished work in front of them. With few games remaining on their schedule, this year’s team has the opportunity to make a deep run in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools state tournament.
“We want to keep winning because I want to be with my teammates for as long as I can,” Fratesi said.
“These players are like my sisters. I don’t have any real sisters, so these girls are the next best thing.”
