Worcester Academy ended a 13-year title drought last November by defeating Miss Porter’s, 1-0, in the girls NEPSAC Class A final.
Considering how perennially strong the Hilltoppers are in the world of New England prep soccer, that drought was hard to believe. Under head coach Jen Marino, Worcester has been a yearly playoff participant in recent years, finishing as Class A runner-up in 2021.
The top-seeded Hilltoppers finished the 2024 campaign at 17-1-2. They defeated Milton Academy, 2-0, in a quarterfinal and then beat Buckingham Browne & Nichols, 3-1, in a semifinal. Lily Bierfeldt headed in a free kick by Aide Pokou with a little more than 10 minutes left in the final for the dramatic title-clinching game-winner.
It was a memorable ride through the gauntlet that is New England girls prep soccer. But Worcester is ready to turn the page to 2025.
