Saturday’s match versus Nazareth at the Zephyr Sports Complex, marked the final home game for seniors Abigail Vivian and Elissar Khalil who will be looking to extend their season Wednesday at Northampton, after Press deadlines.

The pair will now prepare for the upcoming District XI 4A Girls Soccer Championship, entering the field as the No. 9 seed. They will play the Kids who host the game, earning the No. 8 seed among the 4A competitors.

As the only two seniors on the squad, they bring a wealth of experience to the field. They’re both three-year starters, playing opposite ends of the field for the Zephs.

Having a pair of talented bookends, with Khalil roaming up front as a forward, and Vivian looming large on the back line as the center back was essential in helping them get to the playoffs. Additionally, their leadership was invaluable this season as they had to bring along a very young squad while navigating a challenging season in the process.

It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster season for the two seniors, with the season briefly halted almost as soon it began. However, they made it to the finish line, ending the regular season 6-6-1.

Vivian, a stalwart defender who showcased her ability to clear dangerous balls against the Blue Eagles, was happy with how the season unfolded this year.

“I’m really happy with how we did,” said Vivian. “I couldn’t expect anything more from my teammates, and I’m really proud of how much we improved throughout every game.”

The entire Eastern Pennsylvania Conference had an abbreviated regular season, and it made Vivian appreciate she got a chance to play her final year.

“I say it all the time, don’t take anything for granted, especially this year, and make every moment count,” she said.

The Zephyrs faced undefeated Nazareth on Saturday, and Vivian knew it was going to be a challenge. Khalil’s goal with about two minutes remaining in the first half cut the visitor’s lead to 2-1, but the Eagles kept their foot on the gas in the second half, walking away with a 4-1 victory.

Vivian said that they concentrated on giving a full effort for the 40 minutes.

“Throughout the game, we just wanted to make sure we were playing our hardest,” said Vivian. “We wanted to make sure we were defending properly, and also make sure that we took every opportunity that we could in front of the goal.”

She said that communication between the players was another area they focused on as they sought to toppled the Eagles.

Khalil, who finished the season with eight goals and six assists, said that it was a bit tough in the beginning. They’ve historically fielded smaller teams, and when facing the bigger schools, depth can be a problem. Still, she was encouraged by everyone’s development.

“I think as we worked together more, and practiced more, we came up with tactics that would help everyone involved, especially the new players,” said Khalil.

She said she saw the growth among those newcomers and is looking forward to what they can do in the postseason.

Khalil said their development wasn’t limited to the playing field as she saw their personalities emerge as well. She also said it was challenging to foster team bonding because of the virus, but she said they did everything they could to get the team as close as possible.

Witnessing that growth made this season enjoyable for, and Khalil believes that work will take root.

“I’ve seen them all really come along,” she said. “It was fun, and at the same time we were trying to win every game.”

With Northampton on the horizon, Khalil said that they’re going to try their new tactics against the Kids. She said that includes getting more players up, bringing the pressure against their cross-river opponents.

“It may be our last game, so we’re just going to do as well as we can,” she said.

Northampton finished the season 6-4. The two teams haven’t played one another this season, but shared common opponent Nazareth who defeated the Kids 2-0 and 5-1 in their two matches.

They both plan to go to college after graduation, but soccer won’t be part of their plans. Khalil left a small window open, but she’s intent on finding a school that’s a good fit academically.