Izzy Torralba (‘26) had open space, the ball at her feet, and no defenders nearby — and then suddenly fell hard forward onto the turf. She recovered quickly, but this moment left all the players, both on and off the field, laughing, including me. Ouch! She later joked about it under the team’s Instagram post, commenting, “My face hurts.” 

The Bishop’s Girls’ Varsity Soccer team’s senior night was a moment of celebration, reflection, and recognition for seniors Anna Yang, Izzie Torralba, Addie West, Bella Bravo, Ayanna Hickey, and Eleanor Meyer, who have helped build the program into what it is today. As a player on the team, I was there to have fun with and celebrate the seniors on their special night, and I am here now to report from an insider’s perspective.

The Knights capped off their final home game of the season with a 6-1 win against Del Lago Academy, a victory placing them back in first place of their league, with a perfect winning record, a milestone that highlights just how far the program has come. At the end of league season, they took home the title of Coastal League Champions.

Two years ago, the team struggled to find its footing — “nothing bonded us more than a season when we didn’t win a single game,” Cece Jeffery (‘27) read from Ayanna Hickey’s senior speech, a tradition where underclassmen are chosen to read aloud speeches written by and about graduating players.

For Captain Ayanna, senior night was a chance to celebrate not only the wins but the friendships formed along the way. “I’ve been part of this team for four years, and I love these girls so, so much,” she shared. Eleanor added, “We’ve become a big family. Everyone is so kind and supportive of each other, and we’ve grown a lot this season.”

Shaelyn Hickey (‘29), Ayanna’s sister, reflected on the opportunity of being able to play with her sister, despite bickering at every practice. “It’s a special moment to be playing on the same team with my sister, me as a freshman, while she’s a senior, I feel like not many people get to experience that, so it’s really fun.”

Additionally, Izzie said, “This has been such a great season and a great end to my soccer career. I’m so happy to have spent it with such talented girls.” Building off of Izzie, Bella said, “Seeing the growth that the team has had throughout the years, going from a team with no wins to now being top of our division, feels amazing. I really feel like we can take it all the way this year.” 

For freshman Jojo Hu, the seniors played a big role in her experience on the team. She said, “One of the things I’ll miss most in the coming seasons is the support and inclusivity the seniors consistently showed.” Jojo added, “[Izzie] became such an amazing role model for me. She gave me a ton of advice on what to look forward to in the future years, and I’m so grateful that BGVS has given me an opportunity to expand my community and meet really genuine people.”

Having played alongside Anna before in middle school, Mina Ogden (‘28) spoke about the lasting influence she has had on her soccer journey. Mina shared, “I’ve known Anna since we were on the middle school team together, back when I was in 6th grade, and she was in 8th. She’s always been someone I’ve looked up to, and it’s hard to imagine the field without her. I’m really grateful I got to play alongside her, and Tufts is lucky to have her next.”

Head Varsity Girls Soccer Coach Conor McFadden praised the seniors’ leadership and impact. “Tonight means a lot, the whole team contributed to the win, so it was really good to see,” he said. 

The win reflected the seniors’ hard work and skill. Senior Captain Ayanna scored the first goal with a volley off a corner by her sister Shaelyn. Jojo scored the second goal in the second half after a rebound from Sophia Victor’s (‘28) free kick. Mojo Petrucci (‘29) and I each then scored a penalty kick. The fifth goal was shared between seniors Bella and Izzie, where Bella took the shot, and the ball bounced off of Izzie’s head straight into the net. The final goal was scored by senior Eleanor, who got the rebound after the ball hit the crossbar. 

“It’s really special to see how much progress we’ve made,” said Anna. “Freshman year, we didn’t even have a JV team, and now we have two full teams with winning records. It’s amazing to be part of something that has grown so much.” 

As the seniors prepare to close out their final soccer season at Bishop’s, they leave behind a program stronger than when they first joined. Their leadership and friendship both on and off the field continue to build a culture rooted in both competitiveness and enjoyment of the game. 

Reflecting on her final season, Eleanor said, “I’m really grateful for all the girls, and I’m excited to see what happens next for the team.”