BY CHUCK O’DONNELL
STAFF WRITER | THE RECORD
There might have been a Frosty or two polished off when Taylor Porcello and the Emerson soccer team piled into Wendy’s to celebrate their North 1, Group 1 quarterfinal victory over New Milford on Thursday.
“We get excited, so we all just go together,” the junior said. “It’s very hectic because we’re all like, ‘What are you getting? What are you getting?’ And then everyone’s sitting down and the conversations are crazy, just going everywhere in every direction. It’s awesome.”
Awesome sums up Porcello’s play last week. The center-midfielder had a goal and an assist as the Cavos beat New Milford, 2-1.
In Tuesday’s 4-0 first-round victory over Cresskill, she had two goals and an assist.
The Record Female Athlete of the Week has 21 goals and nine assists entering the close-knit Cavos’ semifinal showdown with rival Park Ridge today.
That’s a lot of offense from someone who plays center back for her club team and has had to resist her natural tendency to be more of a playmaker than a shooter.
“I wouldn’t consider myself a selfish player,” Porcello said. “If someone else has a better shot, I will give them the ball.
“Sometimes it’s just that you have to do it yourself. You’re helping the team. I kind of put the team on my back and just try to do my best and score as many times [as I can].”
Porcello, who hopes to play soccer in college while studying criminal justice or criminology, rarely gets free time. When she does, you’ll likely find her listening to Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez.
“Listening to music would definitely be the No. 1 stress reliever,” she said.
“Just to be in your own place and listening and not really thinking about everything going on.”
