Recap: 8/29-9/10

Hello and welcome to the very first SWW Sports Report! This long-awaited column will bring all Walls sports news directly to our loyal fans, every two weeks. We will update you on the latest action, including scores, standings, and special moments, with only a slight bias towards ultimate frisbee.
Penguins sports wasted no time getting underway. School’s first two weeks saw our first volleyball matches, as well as the (literal) kickoffs for girls and boys soccer.
Volleyball started their season strong, with a 3-set sweep over the Edmund Burke Bengal Tigers. The Penguins took the first set 25-17, before outscoring Burke 50-15 across the final two. Following their game 1 rout, the squad traveled to Archbishop Carroll to take on the Lions. Carroll made it clear that lions are mightier than tigers, taking the first set 25-10. Walls fought back hard, but was edged out 23-25 in a vastly improved second set performance. The third set mirrored the second, resulting in a 24-26 Lions victory. Defeat aside, Walls demonstrated steady improvement throughout the match as they calibrated to a significantly tougher opponent than Burke. Volleyball holds a 1-1 record after an encouraging first two weeks.
Boys soccer was tossed a curveball in their first matchup as starting goalie Van Harllee was out (illness) for opening day against EL Haynes. The squad fell to the Mountain Lions 0-2. With no practiced backup for Harllee, outside back Tomás Abeledo stepped up in goal. “It was an honor and privilege to wear the mighty penguins uniform,” said Abeledo about the match. Despite only letting in two goals, Abeledo shouldered some of the blame, claiming “we got spanked because of me.” The Penguins kept the game close despite the unusual situation, and bounced back with a 1-0 win over Washington Latin in Harllee’s return on September 10. They struggled to keep the ball rolling against St. Andrews, falling to 1-2 on the season after a 0-3 loss. The team maintained possession well, but the back of the net remained elusive. They look to change the narrative moving forward, with DCIAA favorites Jackson-Reed awaiting the Penguins on September 14.
Girls soccer got their season started with a 2-2 final at Holy Cross. The Penguins led the game as it came to a close, but HC found the goal in the final seconds to steal a win away from under the beaks of the Penguins. The unexpected mishap didn’t hold them back. If anything, it added fuel to the fire. The girls followed up the draw with an 8-0 dismantling of Washington Latin, in which 6 different Penguins put their names on the scorecard. Senior Maeve Magura-Comey and sophomore Kylie Emanuel impressed, finding the back of the net twice apiece. The offense kept rolling against St. Andrews where the girls scored 3 more times. Unfortunately, the defense had a rough day, letting through 7. The 3-7 loss was the girls’ first of the season, and they now stand at 1-1-1 as they prepare for Jackson-Reed.
This eventful week in Walls sports was just the first of many. It is extremely important that we continue to support our student athletes as the year goes on. Show up to their games. Compliment their achievements. Tune into the livestreams. And get ready for SWW Athletics’ best year yet!