The fall athletics season is officially in full swing, and this week brought plenty of action for the Blue and Gold. With teams settling into their routines, we are beginning to see the work being done in practice translate into competition. From exciting wins to challenging games that provided opportunities to learn and improve, our students continued to compete hard, support one another, and have a lot of fun along the way.
The week began Monday with boys’ varsity soccer traveling to BB&N. The boys fell 5–0 against a talented opponent, but David Bazile was outstanding in goal and made a number of impressive saves to keep his team battling throughout the game.
Wednesday brought a busy afternoon of competition. Varsity flag football began a two-game stretch by defeating Milton before turning around on Thursday and earning another victory over Park to finish the week a perfect 2–0. Frederick Mak and Aidan Su led a balanced scoring attack throughout the two games, with Colin Walker quarterbacking the offense and helping keep things moving. Sixth grader Koby Hildebrandt continued to impress on both sides of the ball, consistently pulling flags on defense while also contributing an impressive touchdown on offense. It was a great two days for the Blue and Gold as the team continues to build chemistry and confidence on both sides of the ball.
Wednesday was also a special day for the volleyball program as varsity and JV hosted BB&N in the first-ever volleyball matches played in the Barn! Varsity fell to a very strong BB&N team, but continued to show significant improvement from its opening match. Communication and pursuit of the ball were strong throughout, and the team continues to become more comfortable with positioning and playing together. Gwen Wagner provided some terrific serving, while Maryanna Lindstrom-Chalpin was a force at the net. The team effort extended to the bench, where players consistently supported and encouraged their teammates throughout the match.
JV volleyball earned an exciting 2–1 victory over BB&N. Yiwen Bilien delivered the pass of the day, while Cora Stack had the spike of the day and an outstanding all-around performance from the service line, making 73 percent of her serves and scoring eight points. Yiwen, Lily Bandar, and Zoe Masozera all recorded service aces. Christopher Baker also provided a great example of sportsmanship and our core value of honesty when he made sure the referee had the correct information on a play call, even when it did not benefit BDS.
Field hockey traveled to Park on Wednesday and turned in an effort that was much stronger than the 4–0 final score might indicate. The Blue and Gold worked hard offensively and kept the ball in Park’s end for much of the game. In goal, Anna Turco battled throughout the afternoon, while Molly Walsh was relentless as the sweep, as the two worked together to protect the net. Valentina Hsia was also terrific defensively, consistently stopping the ball and maintaining possession when it came her way. While Park ultimately capitalized on its opportunities, there was plenty for the team to build upon moving forward.
Thursday brought another packed slate of competition for the Blue and Gold. Boys’ varsity soccer bounced back in a big way, defeating Park 9–0. Sixth grader Sam Green and eighth grader Silas O’Brien each recorded hat tricks to lead the offensive attack, while David Bazile followed his strong performance against BB&N earlier in the week by recording a shutout in goal. It was a terrific response after Monday’s difficult opener and a great example of a team learning, adjusting, and coming back ready to compete.
Girls’ soccer also played its first games of the season this week. With one large roster and players having opportunities to contribute at both the varsity and JV levels, the opening games provided a great first look at how the group can work together throughout the fall. JV opened with an impressive 5–0 victory over Meadowbrook. Sydney Reynolds scored twice, Ella Antipov added a goal and an assist, and Bella Tan helped anchor an excellent defensive effort.
Varsity followed with an absolute thriller at home, earning a 5–4 victory. Anahita Stuti-Bala was outstanding in goal, while contributions came from throughout the roster. Etta Perkins opened the scoring with a fantastic left-footed finish early in the first half. Lucy Rodriguez provided strong play in the midfield, and Alexis Franklin turned in an excellent defensive performance. With the game hanging in the balance, Piper Connors delivered the highlight of the afternoon with a SportsCenter top-10-worthy game-winning free kick to seal the 5–4 victory for the Blue and Gold.
It was another exciting week across Belmont Day athletics, with plenty of wins to celebrate and just as many opportunities for our students to learn and grow through competition. Most importantly, our teams continue to work hard, play together, support their teammates, and represent BDS with pride. As the fall schedule continues to pick up, we look forward to seeing that growth continue and to sharing many more highlights in the weeks ahead.
Come out and support the Blue and Gold whenever you can. The fields and Barn are already buzzing, and there is plenty more fall athletics still to come!
Go BDS!
– Stephen Marks, director of athletics
