Thursday, October 1, 2026
While a postseason surge saw Calhoun finish as a Nassau Class AA semifinalist, the Colts girls' soccer team found last fall, on balance, to be less than satisfying.
Coming off a Nassau Conference 2 title, Calhoun last season, in Conference 1, would see its promotion to the county’s top tier spoiled by - among other things - several key injuries, the Colts struggling to a three-win season overall, their two wins against league opponents coming in the playoffs.
Returning to Nassau 2 this autumn, Calhoun appears to have claimed its Mulligan, acting as though it never left – the first-place Colts bolting to 4-1-1 in league (5-1-1 overall) to regain their old perch atop the conference, with a key Sept. 11 win over fellow league leader Carey banked for use as a possible tiebreaker.
Though certain that his club’s swagger is back, Calhoun coach Jason Elias – whose team boasts the league’s top defense, allowing 0.7 goals per game – acknowledged it took some convincing for the Colts, themselves, to realize it.
“We needed a good start,” Elias said. “After last year, we weren’t sure, and we needed to know we deserve to do well, deserve to compete for league titles.”
“It wasn’t till our third game, playing Manhasset, that I saw what I’d hoped to see,” Elias added, noting the Colts 2-0 league win on Sept. 6 – the second of three straight shutout victories – was a turning point in terms of his team’s self-confidence.
"That’s when I think they started to believe.”
After three weeks of play, few would doubt the staunchness of Colts defensive pillars Alexa Addonizio and Grace Taormina – both Honorable Mention All-County honorees – or second-year-starting goalkeeper Abby Da Silva, whose tone-setting style has grown more aggressive, backed by an expanding skill-set.
“Abby is fun to watch,” Elias said. “She’s become a leader. She comes out to play the ball and she controls it, puts it at players’ feet. She’s been wonderful.”
“Alexa and Grace are two of the best athletes in the school,” added Elias. “They’re very solid in back, which allows you to be successful up top.”
Filling in for injured All-County midfielder Julia Kopelman, junior reserve Allison Pierce has come off the bench to lead Calhoun with three assists, tacking on a goal to also lead the club with four points.
"Allison came kind of out of nowhere and is growing into that role of a bench superstar," Elias said. "She's fast, she's a dynamic player, and she's giving us everything she has."
Forwards Ruth Small and Liana Serrano, and junior midfielder Sabrina Curcio lead Calhoun with two goals apiece, Curcio chipping in an assist to rank No. 2 on the team in points.
“Sabrina’s playing at a level that’s shocking people, even us,” Elias said. “Her mix of speed, skill and soccer IQ gives us something I didn’t think we’d have. It’s a big reason we’ve been able to dominate.”
Added Elias: “Last year’s group was exceptional, but we had difficulties and had to play in, probably, the best conference in the country. But now we’re back, building off the end of last season. We’ve been able to keep up the winning.”
