The Lehigh Valley Summer Soccer League came and went, and the Salisbury girls didn’t experience the feeling of losing often. The Lady Falcons lost just once in 14 games over the months of June and July.

After completing the regular season at 10-1 and earning the top seed in Group B for the postseason, the momentum didn’t stop in the playoffs. Salisbury won all three of its playoff games to earn the championship, including a dominant 5-2 victory over Emmaus in the title game.

It was Salisbury’s first summer league title in the history of the girls program. While head coach Rick Babyak had high expectations for his team this summer, he couldn’t have predicted what transpired on July 20 at Lehigh University’s Campus Fields against Emmaus’ No. 1 team, which went unbeaten in Group A play in the regular season.

“I really expected that we would make the playoffs; we’ve made the playoffs the last two years now,” Babyak said. “I had high expectations, but with summer league you’re missing players here and there with vacations and that’s just the nature of it.”

“They don’t play with fear. Even when we’re down, even when there is some adversity, they play hard, play strong and play smart. They are playing with a lot of confidence.”

Salisbury had the perfect mix of youth and experience this summer. The youth played a huge part in the championship win, as incoming sophomore Erica Holben scored four of the five goals in the title game. The experience paved the way for those underclassmen throughout the summer, providing leadership on how the game should be played at the high school level.

The Lady Falcons’ only loss this summer came against Emmaus’ other team, the one in Group B that finished just a game behind Salisbury in the standings. But throughout the summer season, the Falcons showed how to climb out of deficits and push adversity to the side.

“They’re not cocky, but they have a confidence in themselves,” Babyak said. “We just beat a really good team in Emmaus. We beat some other good teams throughout the summer league. They’re learning that they can play with the good teams. You have to take it one game at a time during the season, but we’re going to have high expectations.”

It’s something that Babyak has been anticipating his group to reach-a confidence level to believe it can compete and beat any team that lines up against it. The Lady Falcons may have finally reached that mountaintop after a successful summer that included wins against a number of Colonial League and EPC foes.

“That just puts a lot of momentum into things when you come out there with that attitude that we can beat any team on any given day,” Babyak said. “That’s a big thing. It’s a big step.

Along with Holben’s outbreak in the championship, incoming senior Caylin Meikrantz and rising sophomore Rylee Donaldson provided key spurts offensively for the Lady Falcons. Kelly Gardus also had an impressive season up top and provides a nice change of pace.

Salisbury scored the most goals in Group B with 49. Emmaus and Palisades both finished with 35 in net.

Defensively, the Lady Falcons must fill some voids. All-area goalkeeper Jordan Kamp has graduated, but that spots looks to be filled by senior Kyra Bruns and underclassmen Katie Gilligan.

“We’re very lucky and we’re very blessed with very good goalkeepers,” Babyak said. “It’s been like that for quite some time and it hasn’t changed. I’m not worried with that position.”

Two key defenders also graduated last year in Sarah Galantini and Sophie Neisenbaum. But a core that includes returning starter Marisol Rosario, as well as Paige Nicholas and Caitlin Hoenig, figures to provide plenty of talent in the defense and midfield positions.

“One of the nicest things that I’m seeing this year is the younger defenders that are filling in really stepped up their game,” Babyak said. “The transition has been pretty seamless, surprisingly so.”