8 November 2021

By: Paulina Vairo

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YONKERS, N.Y. — The small liberal arts college of Sarah Lawrence, located in the Bronxville area of Yonkers, was never known for its women’s soccer team until recently after three successful seasons under head coach Maurizio Grillo.

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Sarah Lawrence entered the Skyline conference in 2014 and made their first appearance in the playoffs back in 2018 during Grillo’s second season as head coach. He immediately turned the program around, ending the season with a 9-8 record overall and a 5-4 record in the Skyline conference. The Gryphons won their first playoff game in program history with a 2-0 win over St. Joseph’s College-Brooklyn that same year.

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The following season saw Sarah Lawrence’s best season in program history with a 14-5 record and third place in the conference. Grillo’s success has earned him the Coach of the Year award in the Skyline conference in both 2018 and 2019. Due to COVID-19 canceling the 2020 season, Grillo had to work with all new faces for the 2021 season. Seniors Emily Anderson and Sonia Simon and junior Lainie Cadieux were the only comeback players from the 2019 season, as there was eleven freshmen on the roster for the season.

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Though finishing just a game under .500, the Gryphons still had a solid season with the 20 newcomers on the team. They were 3-1 against CUNY teams by beating Lehman, CCNY and Brooklyn College. Though they lost, the Gryphons put up a solid performance against Rutgers-Newark and NYU.

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The team struggled mid-season with five loses in a row, however, they finished the season strong by winning six of their last nine games. In the Skyline conference, the team went 5-5 and finished sixth with a playoff appearance for the third season in a row.

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Lynn Rech, a freshman from Vacaville, California, had a breakout year during her first season as a Gryphon. Her first goal came against CCNY in the second game of the season as she recorded a team high ten goals and four assists for the year. Rech always found her way in the box with a total of 26 shots on goal and two game winners. Only a freshman, Rech will be a key member for the team for the next few seasons for Sarah Lawrence.

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Another breakout freshman was midfielder Alexis Valdes from Seymour, Connecticut. Valdes had a team high of seven assists along with three goals on the year. She has been great in the midfield distributing the balls to the forwards and wingers. She has started in 17 of the 19 games for the Gryphons and will be a key player, along with Rech, for the future of the team in years to come.

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A school known for its performing arts, humanities and writing, Sarah Lawrence has made a name for themselves in women’s soccer as more athletes look to play for the Gryphons and get to experience playing in a competitive school. The team will continue to be a threat in the Skyline conference as head coach Maurizio looks to keep the team strong for next season.

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(Article can also be seen at https://bvmsports.com/2021/11/08/sarah-lawrence-womens-soccer-team-caps-off-another-solid-season/)