Brookline Shows Positive Signs, Looks Forward to A Bright Future

By Eliot Schickler

Although the Brookline High girls' soccer team didn’t have a deep postseason run like it had the previous two years, it still showed many positive signs that the program is strong and did many good things this past fall.

Brookline, which made it to the Division 1 Semifinals two straight years and the Division 1 Quarterfinals in 2022, before losing to the eventual State champion, didn’t go as far this fall, but still played hard and showed plenty of positive signs, which bodes well for the future. In 2025, the 13th-seeded Warriors showed their pluckiness in a home playoff game at Parsons Field on November 4, but lost, 2-1 (4-3) to 20th-seeded Westford Academy in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs.

“I thought we played well overall, but the bounces we needed just didn’t go our way, and Westford played an excellent game,” Brookline Coach Ben Peters said. “It’s always disappointing losing, but more so in the playoffs when you think you have a chance to win it all every year like we do.”

The Warriors ended their season at 6-8-5. Westford raised its record to 10-5-2 before ending its season at 10-6-2 with a 2-1 overtime loss to Natick High.

Ironically, Natick won the Division 1 title, and instead of bowing out to the eventual state champion, Brookline lost by a hair to the team that lost to the ultimate state champion. Moreover, the Ghosts gave the fourth-seeded Natick Red Hawks, who finished the year at 16-3-3, their toughest battle during their title run. Natick blanked two foes, 5-0, one, 3-0, and defeated sixth-seeded Franklin High, 4-2, in the Division 1 State Championship game.

The Warriors and Westford were evenly matched in a back-and-forth match, which was mostly played between both 18-meter boxes, with both teams having chances, only to be neutralized by the opposing defenses.

Senior tri-captain Mirabelle Keselman, who will be playing for Division I North Dakota State University next year, led Brookline’s defense and kept many balls away from junior goalie Chloe Price. Complementing Keselman in the backfield was plucky senior tri-captain Elin Lindgren-Palm, classmate Lila Cannon, along with juniors Jamie McGee, Hannah Greer, Kaylee Co., Alexa Lieberman-Wingertner, and Astrid Nigrovic.

Price made a few big saves during the game to keep the Warriors afloat.

Freshman Addison Coulter gave the Ghosts a 1-0 lead off a centering cross from sophomore Tia McClelland with 7:27 left in the second half.

After falling behind, the Warriors tried to pick up their attack. Lindgren-Palm and Vianello got the ball to midfielders and forwards, which they did all game. Seniors Jada Kimbro, Amalia Lindgren-Palm, Eva Berkson, and Priscila Hill, along with juniors Juliana Segal, Haley Ament, and Paige Hammond, along with sophomores Neve Keselman and Rose Shorett, were neutralized by Ghosts junior defender Sydney Nusbaum, along with sophomore Chiara Leiwant and senior tri-captain goalie Olivia Cipriano, who was the netminder during the first half, and classmate Paige Markesich, who took over between the pipes in the second half, sparkled there during the penalty kicks round.

During stoppage time, Brookline drew back-to-back corner kicks. The second corner kick proved to be the charm, in which a mad tussle for the ball ensued. Vianello managed to pass it to Mirabelle Keselman, who headed it in for the equalizer.

“On the play where I scored the goal, there was a huge scramble where everyone on both teams was trying to get a foot on the ball,” Mirabelle Keselman said. “I kept my eye on it, and Julia eventually
managed to pop it out to the center of the box. Then I just made sure that I kept the shot low and hard for it to go in.”

After knotting up the game, Keselman was confident that the tide had turned in Brookline’s favor and it was on its way to victory.

“When I scored, I definitely felt the momentum, especially going into overtime,” she added. “I think we had confidence that we needed to work hard, and I truly thought we were going to score.”

Shortly thereafter, Kimbro had a chance to give the Warriors the win, but Cipriano made a save off a breakaway.

The Warriors continued their momentum in the first overtime and had two straight corner kicks, but the Ghosts hung tough on defense with Nusbaum and sophomore Oriana Khusid making plays for the visitors. The second corner led to a Westford clear and breakaway with senior tri-captain Eleni Stowell setting up sophomore Reese Nielsen’s breakaway opportunity. Nielsen got off a shot that looked like it had a chance to go in, but Price made a stellar save to keep the game going.

“Making saves during regulation and OT is similarly all about staying calm, reminding myself I deserve to be on that field and knowing that I can make the saves,” Price said.

Vianello did everything on both ends of the pitch in both overtimes. She had a clear shot and created a scoring chance, but Brookline was only able to hit the post off a corner kick.

It then came down to penalty kicks, with Markesich making three key saves, first on Elin Lindgren-Palm with a good diving move to open the round.

Price also played well in net during the penalty kicks round and kept the Warriors alive, catching Weber’s shot and poking away Khusid’s shot.

“PK saves are really about anticipation and staying focused and also a good amount of luck,” Price said. “I try to focus on the kicker's body language and make the best guess possible, but in the end, it's just about believing in myself and trusting my gut.”

Amalia Lindgren-Palm gave Brookline a 1-0 lead in the penalty kicks round when she slid her shot past Markesich as the second girl to shoot for the home team. After Markesh robbed Cannon with a diving save, Westford senior tri-captain Eleni Stowell faked out Price and knotted up the round.

After both teams' fourth players didn’t score, with Price making the aforementioned save on Khusid, Berkson gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead when she kicked it at the opposite end of where Markesich was. All Brookline needed was Price to make another save, and it would play at Natick High, but making saves in the penalty kick round is always a challenge. Ghosts junior Alexa Coward followed Berkson’s lead and placed in the opposite end of the net where Price stood to tie up the round, 2-2.

Price then took the first shot of overtime and booted it home to the far side of the net to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead.

“Taking a penalty kick was definitely a surprise,” Price said. “Without really any practice at it, I just aimed to stay calm and remind myself it was an easy shot. It, of course, was a great feeling to score, but I was more focused on trying to make the next saves and keep my team in the game.”

McClelland answered by kicking it to the high part of the net, making it 3-3. Kimbro was next, but Markesich pushed her shot wide for her third save, and Nielsen ended Brookline’s season by kicking it in the net.

“It was very tough to end the season the way it ended, especially because no one wants to end their season with PKs,” Elin Lindgren-Palm said. “I think it wasn’t our best game, but we were holding them off well, and we had several good chances.”

Vianello said, “It was really hard for the game to end the way it did. To go into PKs is always super stressful, and not making my PK and losing the game overall wasn’t the way I wanted it to go. It was super difficult to see all my friends and family out there supporting me, and we weren’t able to pull off the win. However, as I have been able to reflect on it more, I am so proud of us as a team and the way we fought till the end despite the ups and downs we had the whole season.”

The Warriors felt they could have played better in regulation.

“I thought the game was overall solid,” Vianello said. “We started pretty slow, but in the first half and the majority of the second half, I felt like it was an even game. When Westford Academy scored, we were all a bit flustered, but it was also the push that we needed to keep going. Mirabelle's goal really shifted the energy of the game, and I felt that through the end of regular time and through OT, we handled the game, but unfortunately weren’t able to find the back of the net.”

Mirabelle Keselman said, “I think that we played well, but it took us a bit of time to settle into the game. I was happy with the team's performance, especially deep into the second half and into overtime.”

Price said, “It was definitely a frustrating loss, especially feeling like we all worked so hard for that whole game, and for the team to miss so many shots, it was a hard loss. I had high hopes for our team in the playoffs this season, and it's upsetting to get scored on anytime, even in penalty kicks.”

Despite the loss, it was a good season for Brookline, which played its best soccer as the season progressed.

“I loved playing with this team because I got to see a lot of hard work that people put in, and it made me so proud to get to see these girls every day,” Elin Lindgren-Palm said.

Mirabelle Keselman said, “Overall, my thoughts on the year were that we grew as people and players as we learned to navigate a season that looked very different from the past two. People stepped up in amazing ways, and I think we had a lot of fun.”

Vianello said, “I think it was a season of highs and lows, and everyone knows that. It’s clear from our record and ranking that it was a different year from the past couple. We struggled as a team in some areas, but I also thought we succeeded in a ton. I love this team, and the way we persevered through
The adversity we faced makes it a successful season in my eyes.”

Peters said, “I’m really proud of the way the team battled this season. We were in every game, but the bounces just didn’t go our way this year, and that’s what happens in sports at times. We worked on some new concepts and new formations that will hopefully give us some experience going into next season.”

Although the Warriors will lose eight seniors who were great ambassadors to the program, they will have many strong returning players. Mirabelle Keselman, Vianello, Elin Lindgren-Palm, Amalia Lindgren-Palm, Kimbro, Berkson, Hill, and Cannon will be missed, but Brookline is expected to make some noise in 2026. Greer, Hammond, Segal, Co, Lieberman-Wingertner, Nigrovic, Ament, Magee, Klawiter, Price, junior Liv Klawitter, Neve Keselman, Shorett, and sophomore Sadie Sawada will be returning varsity players. Three call-ups from JV, sophomore Charlotte Moor, along with freshmen Vasanti Croteau and Maddie Hatchett, will return with a taste of varsity experience.

“I’m always excited to start new seasons,” Peters said. “Seeing returning faces and new faces and the excitement in everyone is just the best. I wish we could start again already.”

Vianello said, “The team is looking really solid next year. It will be a team full of seniors and really experienced players. I am excited to see what they do on and off the field.”

Elin Lindgren-Palm said, “Next year the team will have at least 10 seniors [because there are 10 current juniors on varsity], so I think they will be a really strong team, especially because they’ve been playing together for so long.”

Mirabelle Keselman said, “Next year will once again look very different, but I am confident that the rising upperclassmen will do amazing things, and I will be watching the streams from my dorm room.”

Brookline GVS Notes: Mirabelle Keselman and Vianello earned First Team All-Bay State Conference
honors, while Elin Lindgren-Palm garnered All-Bay State Conference Honorable Mention.