The New Providence girls varsity soccer team faced Cranford on September 11th, a team that has traded victories with New Providence in the past few years. This time, the Pioneers had goalkeeper Emily Print, who recorded a career-high 16 saves to lead New Providence to a 1-0 win.
This season, the varsity girls soccer team features three freshmen, including Print. Being a freshman on varsity is no easy task for any sport, but it’s even harder being the starting goalkeeper as a freshman. Print may seem young, but she brings years of experience from playing club soccer.
Totaling 92 saves in just 11 games, averaging 8.4 saves per game, Print has been a crucial part of the Pioneers’ success so far this season and has emerged as a star freshman in the state.
Part of Print’s success so far has been attributed to her mentality and constant training.
“I take my training very seriously and I’ve trained since the fourth grade,” she said.
Print’s goal for the season showcases her competitive spirit and commitment: “To have a winning record and take my team as far as they can go.”
Being a freshman on varsity comes with a lot of pressure, but Print has responded to that pressure with success and determination. After conceding a goal, Print focuses on the next save. With the help of her supportive teammates, she is able to quickly shake the pressure off and regain her confidence.
“[My favorite thing about being on varsity as a freshman is] meeting all my teammates. They’re all really nice,” she said.
She may feel the pressure to perform and prove herself to the upperclassmen, but she also receives a ton of support and encouragement from her teammates, which pushes her to be better.
Additionally, Print is a vocal point on the team, and displays leadership and communication on the field to lead her defense.
Scott Murphy, the varsity head coach, emphasized how Print’s ability to read the game and play in goal made her stand out as a goalkeeper.
His confidence in the young goalkeeper is obvious: “Our goals as normal are to win a conference championship, win a state championship, and Emily is going to be a big part in that going forward.”
The Pioneers are currently 6-5-1, with their next games being Roselle Park (10/7), rival Governor Livingston (10/9), and Hackettstown (10/11). Print has been a very important part of this record, contributing double digit saves in 4 games this season. Print will be extremely influential in New Providence’s final regular season stretch as they gear up for counties and states.
New Providence has not won a conference championship since 2021 and a state championship since 2011. The Pioneers made it to the sectional final just two seasons ago, unfortunately losing 3-1 to Mountain Lakes, but with Print’s season so far, they could be well on track for postseason hardware.
Overall, the addition of Emily Print to the program has been instrumental in the team’s success. Her skillset and shot-stopping abilities have been remarkable, and the future of the program is headed in a great direction with Print’s leadership.