Silence takes over the PHS crowd as an opposing team is making a strong attack, in search of a goal. They swarm the box, hoping to set up a shot, but Helena Murray ’27 is there to make a play. She sprints over to the ball and slides to make a tackle, stopping the momentum of the opposition and giving her team a needed reset.
Murray was introduced to soccer at seven years old, beginning a connection with the sport that would continue throughout her childhood. Growing up, soccer was a big part of her family, which helped spark her own interest in the sport.
“I only started playing [soccer] because both of my older brothers played throughout high school and college,” Murray said. “Definitely my brothers and my older sister playing it got me really into it.”
After moving to Princeton in 2019, soccer became one of the first ways she made new friends. Through her local club team, she quickly built connections with her teammates that lasted beyond the field.
“It was honestly mostly about the team environment and the friends I made,” Murray said. “I’m still really good friends with some of the girls that I made on that team.”
Murray played on the PHS JV girls soccer team during her freshman year before earning a spot on varsity as a sophomore. Playing as a center back, she gradually became a steady presence on the Tigers’ defense. Since then, Head Coach Christine Giacino has watched her develop both as a player and teammate.
“My first impression [of Murray] was [that she was] a quieter sophomore, but now she’s really changed and grown into this amazing captain,” said Giacino.
As a senior captain, Murray takes an active role in communicating with her teammates on and off the field.
“Her confidence and her composure and calmness has really spread [to her teammates] through her kind personality,” said Giacino. “She’s very friendly to everyone she meets not only on the field. She welcomes the underclassmen [and] I think that just creates some better culture within our program.”
Leah O’Neill ’27 has played with Murray since freshman year. At first, a shy but friendly teammate, O’Neill has seen her grow to be more confident, vocal, and dependable on the field.
“She’s always super positive, and she’s always working her very hardest until the end of the game [and] the end of the practice,” said O’Neill.
That growth and consistency has made Murray someone O’Neill looks up to, despite the two being in the same grade.
“We’re the same age, but she’s a role model to me,” O’Neill said. “ I think she can also be a role model to the younger girls too.”
Murray has become more confident both on and off the field, and it taught her skills extending beyond the field.
“Through soccer, I’ve been able to find a space where I am able to talk to people [that] I wouldn’t usually [talk to],” Murray said. “It’s helped me be more outgoing and helped me with making friends and making connections.”
Her teammates have also seen that growth reflected in the way Murray supports the group during games and how she interacts with new players.
“At halftime, she always encourages us and motivates us for the second half,” said O’Neill. “And I think she really found her voice and grew more confident on the field and off the field. I remember her being a little bit more shy our freshman year, but she really came out of her shell.”
The sport has left a lasting impact on Murray’s life. From helping her build friendships after moving to Princeton to becoming a captain and leader on the field, soccer has played an important role in shaping who she is today.