Senior midfielder Sammy Lichtenberg is one of those players that went through the trying times of losing, only to now be part of the turnaround.  When asked the no-brainer question "Is winning more fun than losing?" the diminutive but hard-nosed senior gave the obvious reply, "Winning is a LOT more fun.  Some of the girls thought we were never going to win a game, but we are learning some technical skills and have a better mindset. But even with the wins, we can still improve."

On Thursday, STS scored the game�??s only goal just minutes into the contest when freshman forward Lindsey Puopolo found the back of the net.  That goal would stand up at game�??s end for the 1-0 win.

And the win was eye-opening in that AACS is not only league champion, but returns an experienced squad boasting 11 seniors, and almost all starters back save for All-Star goalie Stephanie Dark.

Coach Quinn, when asked about the early success of the team and how difficult it was to instill a winning mindset in a team that was heretofore winless, said,  �??We just added some organization, learned some basic soccer, especially how to help each other defensively.  Even with the wins, we have slacked off a bit the past two weeks and are not where we can be as a team yet.  We are playing effective soccer, but not skillful soccer. But we are improving.�?�

A big part of the team�??s success has been the play of freshman whiz Lindsey Puopolo. She had the lone goal yesterday, giving her yet another game-winner.  She now has an even 12 goals on the season, making her one of the top scorers in the entire IAAM, regardless of level.  That includes one three-goal game and a pair of two-goal games.  She has scored in every match except one thus far, with only Key keeping her out of the scoring column.

Puopolo also plays for Quinn in club soccer with the PSA Pumas, so it was an easy transition coming in as a new player, being already familiar with Quinn�??s coaching style.  With such early success, Quinn will have some adjustments to make going through the league for a second time.  Puopolo is now a known commodity, and will draw varying defenses to mark her.  "Teams are double-teaming me, marking me hard, but that will get some other players open and we need to use that to our advantage," said Puopolo.

Many are making contributions to the team effort.  Said Quinn, "Sheila Anthony has played really well in goal (over 80 saves and just six goals allowed).  And Becky Leathers is such a hard worker in the midfield. She runs all day and sometimes we can't get her to stop running."  Sophomore Delaney Lackey has made a big contribution, with tough defense, to go along with three goals and four assists.  Freshman Eliza Finn has two and two, and  Leathers and Lichtenberg have three assists each.  ST has other players who can score, and will likely need to as the opposition looks to clamp down on Puopolo.

ST started off the season with the program�??s first win, 2-0, over Mount Carmel.  It followed that up with a pair of 4-0 wins over Towson Catholic and Western Tech to win the TC Tournament, and then added victories over Glenelg Country, Beth Tfiloh and Towson Catholic, making it a 6-0 fast-track start.

Then STS lost back-to-back matches to Key and Garrison Forest, both by 2-1 scores.  Quinn added, �??Give credit to both Key and Garrison Forest.  Both are excellent teams, but we had our chances and could have won either game.�?�

Another surprise team, Garrison Forest, currently leads the �??C�?� with a 6-0 record and 18 points. St. Tim�??s sits in second place with a 5-2 mark and 15 points, while Mount Carmel is a half-game back at 5-3 but tied in points with 15.  Key (4-0-1, 13 points) and AACS (4-3, 12 points) are in the crowded pack as well, making it a five-team race at this point.  Key and Annapolis Area Christian played for the C title last season, with AACS winning the battle of Annapolis (even though played at Friends).

Even with three weeks to go in the regular season and the playoffs to follow, St. Timothy�??s has already had what any observer would qualify as a successful season, with the regularity of losses now just a memory of the seemingly distant past.

But it�??s a good bet that Quinn and his team do not want to rest on their laurels just yet.  Winning is fun and winning is contagious.  A pair of losses did not daunt them.  Lichtenberg summed it up, saying "If we keep learning and keep hustling and don't slack off, we have a good shot in the playoffs."  Going deep in the playoffs was not in the equation last year.

Yesterday, STS simply started a new win streak with the victory over AACS, and, with a new confidence and mindset, expect more wins to follow.

(Go to the IAAM home page for video links to post-game interviews.)

St. Timothy�??s 1, Annapolis Area Christian 0
Goals: ST-Puopolo. Assists: ST-Lackey. Saves: AACS-Layson 10; ST-Anthony 10.
Half: 1-0.