Albina Frangu shoots the ball against Cedar Grove on Sept. 8.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield High School girls soccer team returns a good nucleus this season.
“We bring back a great group of talent to the team,” said BHS head coach Jon Aliaga, whose team is looking to improve on last year’s 8-10-1 record. “Senior captain Emily Haraka (seven goals and eight assists last year) will look to anchor the middle field while looking to set up and assist Ava Lisa Marie Barker as our main offensive threat. Ava, a sophomore, scored 12 goals and five assists” last season.
Barker made first team and Haraka made second team on the all-Super Essex Conference Liberty Division last season, voted by the division coaches.
Catherine Parelli and her sister, Victoria Parelli, both juniors, return after tallying five goals apiece last season.
The defense will be anchored by senior Claudia Penafiel and junior Isabella Siejkowski, who are returning center backs and captains. Siejkowski made honorable mention on the all-SEC Liberty Division last season. Izabella Pereira and Sophia Llanes are back from injuries that sidelined them both during their sophomore year.
Aliaga also has been impressed by the newcomers.
“We were very impressed with incoming ninth graders Sophia Harvey, Isabella Alves and Ella Jimenez,” he said. “Sophia will be looking to contribute offensively, Isabella in the middle of the field and Ella will be fighting it out with junior Amanda Irizarry.
“The strength of the program is our depth. We have a lot of girls with experience on the varsity and club team.”
Bloomfield lost to Cedar Grove, 2-0, in the season opener on Thursday, Sept. 8, at Brookdale Park Stadium. BHS is in the Super Essex Conference Liberty Division, which also includes Belleville, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Columbia, Glen Ridge, Millburn, Mount St. Dominic and Newark East Side.
2022 Bloomfield schedule
- Sept. 8: vs. Cedar Grove, 2-0 loss
- Sept. 10: vs. Orange, 10 a.m.
- Sept. 13: vs. Newark East Side, 4 p.m.
- Sept. 16: at Mount St. Dominic, 4 p.m.
- Sept. 19: vs. West Orange, 4 p.m.
- Sept. 21: vs. Glen Ridge, 4 p.m.
- Sept. 24: at Montclair, noon.
- Sept. 27: at Belleville, 4 p.m.
- Sept. 29: vs. Caldwell, 4 p.m.
- Oct. 1: at Livingston, 10 a.m.
- Oct. 3: at Millburn, 4 p.m.
- Oct. 6: vs. Montclair Kimberley Academy, 4 p.m.
- Oct. 8: at North Arlington,10 a.m.
- Oct. 10: at North Bergen, 11 a.m.
- Oct. 15: at Union City, 10 a.m.
- Oct. 17: vs. Columbia, 4 p.m.
- Oct. 18: vs. Morris Hills, 6 p.m.
Home games are held at Brookdale Park Stadium.
Photos Courtesy of Jerry Simon.
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