Four years ago, Tabor Academy’s girls soccer team ended the season with a brutal 11 losses. But head coach Steve Sughrue says those players laid the underpinnings that have made this year’s team undefeated

“The girls have always assumed responsibility for their success and their failure,” said Sughrue. “They laid the foundation for us.”

That groundwork set, the team’s first game against North Andover’s Brooks School set the tone for the season.

Last year, Tabor lost to the larger school 0-6. Despite making it to the semi-finals, that loss stayed with the team and the coach, who counted down to the hour their next face off with the team.

In September, the girls came out hard from the start of the game, beating Brooks 3-0.

“We channeled that into the beginning of every game,” said captain and goalie Lydia Caputi. “Every game was a Brooks game to us.”

Flexibility and a strong commitment to the team carried the girls through 15 wins this fall and to a top seed in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council's tournament.

“You can give up. You can get tired. You can get hot. You can get cold, but they enjoy the game and they enjoy each other,” said Sughrue.

The captains agreed.

“We’re willing to sacrifice what we need to sacrifice to have a winning season and to be as successful as we know we can be,” said Ariel Etheridge, a senior from Smithfield, Rhode Island.

That includes her fellow captain, Sandwich native Sonja Horan, who suffered two ACL tears and surgeries as a result of soccer games, but worked hard to come back.

“The girls elected her captain. They admired her as a leader and a player. She, in many ways, epitomizes the commitment that many of these girls have,” said Sughrue.

All three captains said they’ve seen a huge transition in the team that finally brought the team victory. Now they just need to carry their focus through to a championship win.

At their Wednesday game against St. Mark’s School, the girls had their first hiccup of the season when their opponents scored first.

“We’re undefeated, but we can’t step onto the field thinking we’re going to win this game,” said Caputi, who hails from Brunswick, Maine.

Sufficiently humbled, the captains, all seniors, are itching for a win, but are also sad to see the season coming to a close.

“We’ve come so far as a team, I just wish we had another year together,” said Etheridge.

For his part, their coach said he’s already seen a victorious team.

“At the end of the day, this team will be judged successful because you look at the record,” said Sughrue, “but for me the satisfaction comes from seeing how the girls work together.”