Girls’ soccer: Experienced seniors lead Holy Cross

Ari Fryer arrived at Holy Cross three years ago with the physical tools to help the girls’ soccer team right away, but the soft-spoken center back quickly found the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference presented a much different challenge than the familiar competitive club circuit.

With five other freshmen also logging significant minutes at the time, it felt like the whole team was stuck on the same, slow learning curve.

“We were new,” Fryer said. “We didn’t really know what we were doing, but we were still working hard. It’s crazy to think how we’ve improved over the years.”

These days those growing pains seem far in the past. Now seniors, Fryer and her classmates have sparked sixth-ranked Holy Cross to six straight wins to start the season. With Tuesday’s convincing 3-0 win at then-No. 7 Bishop Ireton, the Tartans have outscored their opponents, 19-2, so far.

Coach Nelson Abreu has a special appreciation for this group of seniors. The former Good Counsel assistant was hired at the Kensington private school just before the 2008 season began, so the players in the graduating class of 2013 were the first to choose the program knowing he’d be in charge.

The Tartans (6-0, 2-0 WCAC) brought back 16 varsity players off a team that finished in the middle of the pack in the WCAC last fall, and Abreu said this group has the most depth and best leadership of any he’s had at Holy Cross.

“That core group, they know what we want — they know our concepts,” Abreu said. “The kids that are filling in around them are easily picking up on it because they see it from example and hear the shouts from their teammates.”

Fryer, who has orally committed to Delaware, anchors one of the conference’s most experienced defenses, and the offense has demonstrated remarkable balance in the early going.

Senior Shannon Spellacy leads the way with four goals and four assists, but 12 players have registered at least one point, giving Holy Cross hope it has the firepower to challenge top-ranked Good Counsel and No. 3 O’Connell for this season’s WCAC title.

“I think we want it more this year,” Fryer said. “We’re doing everything a little better. We’re working a lot harder in practice, which is really showing in our games.”

The Post Top 10

Good Counsel All-Met Imani Dorsey suffered a concussion in Monday’s 4-0 win at Fallston, and Coach Jim Bruno expects the junior to miss a week or two. With 2011 All-Met Player of the Year Midge Purce busy representing the U.S. at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, the Falcons will rely on talented freshmen Nia Dorsey, Nicole Bautista and Julia Abbott to spark their offense in the interim. ... South River enters the rankings after knocking off then-No. 9 Broadneck, 2-1, last week. The Seahawks have won six straight since a season-opening loss to Baltimore power McDonogh.

(Records through Tuesday)

1. Good Counsel (6-0) LW: 1

2. Spalding (5-0-2) LW: 2

3. O’Connell (6-1-1) LW: 3

4. Sidwell Friends (5-1) LW: 5

5. River Hill (7-0) LW: 6

6. Holy Cross (6-0) LW: 10

7. National Cathedral (3-1-2) LW: 4

8. Bethesda-Chevy Chase (5-1) LW: 8

9. South River (6-1) LW: NR

10. Whitman (4-1) LW: NR

Related: Schedule | Area-wide statistical leaders