WOODBURY — For the past two years, the Nonnewaug girls soccer team has gone 15-1, losing to the same team in the season finale each time but still managing to win the Berkshire League championship.

The big question this year: Can the Chiefs win the BL again, and how will this pressure affect the team’s freshmen? 

The freshmen on the team face pressure to live up to the lofty expectations and fill the giant shoes left behind. Freshman Audrey Doran feels that the pressure goes away when she’s on the field. 

“Once you get out on the field, the pressure floats away and makes it easier,” Doran said, “but when you first walk on, it feels like everyone is staring at you. When I get called on to the field to take out a senior, I feel all the pressure because they have such big shoes to fill, but once I get out there, I remember that’s what we practiced for.”

Along with Doran, freshman Addison Bushka also feels the pressure makes her work harder during practices. 

“It’s a huge role to fill, especially because of the seniors last year and all the past achievements,” Bushka said. “We must step up to fill their role and put in the work  at practices, and I try to push myself to be the greatest and be ready to win.”

The team’s freshmen are willing to put the work in to win. 

“Although the pressure is a lot, I’m willing to put everything into winning and working together,” said Doran.

The Chiefs’ seniors see the freshmen putting in the work to win the BL.

“Just as generations of freshmen before them have had to step up to the plate, our group this year has had to work hard to prove to [coach Nick] Sheikh that they can contribute to our hopes to win the league,” says senior Layla Coppola.

The team enters the second half of the season with a 6-1-1 record, one loss behind league-leading Thomaston. The Chiefs hope to finally take a win against Housatonic in the regular-season finale this year with the freshmen showing they have what it takes to win.