William Luo
Sep 22, 2026
Mercersburg Academy's boys varsity soccer team battled back after two defeats to tie Springdale Preparatory School in a hard and well-fought home game on Friday. The team struggled to recover after two goals by Springdale off defensive set pieces. Despite falling behind, Mercersburg continued fighting, the game eventually ending in a tie.
Head Coach Timothy O’Donohue said he was proud of the team's performance. “It was a hard-fought game. The guys did well in the fight-back. I’m proud of the effort. They worked really hard,” O’Donohue said.
One of the most eventful moments in the game came late when João Salomão Ventura ’28 scored, bringing Mercersburg to a tie with Springdale. Assistant coach Will Slater said, “I thought the second goal, João Ventura’s moment created something out of nothing. For the team to kind of build into that moment, I thought that it was a well-deserved second goal.” Ventura was also pleased. “I think it was an amazing comeback because we lost and then we could tie the game,” Ventura said. “Looking at myself, I think it was a good match. I could score the last goal.”
Although the comeback was significant, the players and the coaches recognized areas needing improvement. Ventura pointed to the team’s defense on corners as a major weakness, as Springdale used two such opportunities to score.
The loss of many graduates has also changed the program this season, and the team is still developing its identity. “It's very different. A lot of new players, new coach, and so we are all just sort of learning and trying to build on these new additions,” Slater said.
O’Donohue is looking forward to growth and success. “Very good, very talented. A lot of players overall, good talent pool. We’re only going to get better as the season goes on,” O’Donohue said.
Returning players have noticed the potential in the team. Trace Russell ’28 noted that several new players have already made an impact. “Our new guys from Liberia, Prince and Ishmael, they just came to the team, and they are fitting in beautifully,” Russell said.
Returner Garcia-Rivas ‘27 spoke optimistically. “I think the team came back pretty well, so we never gave up, and that's how we scored the second goal. We tied it up,” Garcia-Rivas said.
With most of the season still ahead, the coaching staff is focused on steady improvement. Slater said the team’s goal is “progress day-by-day,” both individually and as a team. O’Donohue gave the group similar advice for the remainder of the season: “Just take it one game at a time and try to learn from your mistakes and take it game by game.”