Alessia Sacchi
During Occidental’s women’s soccer game against Caltech, Alessia Sacchi (sophomore) scored the team’s first goal of the season during the second half of the game.
According to Sacchi, although the team lost with a close score of 2-1, the team’s spirit remained high.
“I was glad that I could do what I could for the team,” Sacchi said. “We took a loss, but there’s a lot to learn from it. There’s a lot of potential for the team, and the only way to go is up.”
Sacchi said that although winning feels good, it is most important for the team to focus on applying the skills they’ve been practicing.
“Our goals were to put everything we’ve been working on in practice towards our play. We emphasize team culture and positive energy no matter what, being uplifting regardless of whether we’re winning or losing,” Sacchi said.
Teammate Reagan Seelhorst (sophomore) said that with so many players injured, they have had to adapt significantly.
“Alessia has done a great job at being a leader on the team by stepping up and communicating,” Seelhorst said.
Sacchi said that the support she receives from others is a key factor in her success.
“A lot of the reason I play is for others,” Sacchi said. “I want to make whoever’s supporting me proud. When I know I have somebody to play for, it is why I play and how I feel motivated.”
Sacchi said she plans to build on this momentum by celebrating the smaller things that make this sport so important to her.
“We must remember how good it feels during the good moments and the little wins, because it pushes me to want to do it again,” Sacchi said. “The most important thing for me is having a good time playing and making myself proud knowing that I did my best for my team.”
Jack Elfenbaum
Jack Elfenbaum (sophomore) participated in his first cross country race of the 2024 season Sept. 21 at the Highlander Invitational. Elfenbaum came fourth out of all SCIAC runners in the 8K with a time of 25:35.2. This was a new personal record for Elfenbaum, beating his last year’s season best of 27:07.7, by nearly two and a half minutes.
Elfenbaum said he entered the race feeling confident and relaxed and that the strong team bond allows him to perform at his best.
“The supportive team dynamic and our camaraderie help to foster success and personal connections on and off the track,” Elfenbaum said.
Elfenbaum said that though cross country is a very demanding sport mentally and physically, his motivation to get better helps him stay consistent and it has certainly paid off.
Fellow cross-country teammate and friend of Jack Elfenbaum, Brady Dugan (sophomore) said Elfenbaum has grown a lot as an athlete this season.
“It’s amazing to see his progress. He has gone from our 5th runner to our 1st runner,” Dugan said.
Finlay McAfee (sophomore), another one of Jack Elfenbaum’s teammates, said his work in practice has been showing up well on the track.
“He has been getting a lot better. He has been training like a beast and crushing his PRs,” McAfee said.
Elfenbaum said he continues to make strides and plans to maintain his strong progress for the rest of the season.
“I plan to continue to show up and show out for myself and my team for the rest of this season while continuing to improve my fitness,” Elfenbaum said.
Contact Isabel Yaffe at yaffe@oxy.edu
