Finding the joy: Inside Bethlehem girls' soccer's turnaround heading into Class AA final

Bethlehem junior Alexandra Young dribbles the ball in front of Mohonasen junior Gianna Pfister during the Section 2, Class AA semifinals on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, in Stillwater, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union) (Jim Franco/Times Union) The Bethlehem girls' soccer team's season ended last fall with a 5-10-1 record and a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Ballston Spa.On Tuesday, No. 2 Bethlehem (10-4-3) will face No. 5 Ballston Spa (9-5-4) again.This time, it's for the Section 2 Class AA championship at 7:30 p.m. at Shaker High School.Under first-year coach Scott Geis, the Eagles have doubled their win total while embracing an approach built on unity, confidence and joy. Players credit that environment with helping them reach the final, where they'll arrive after a 2-0 semifinal win over Mohonasen on Friday.Junior June McCarthy, who scored a hat trick in the Eagles' 5-0 quarterfinal win over Queensbury last week, recalled last season's difficulties."When we lost in sectionals, we were all fearful," McCarthy said after Friday's win. "And, today, we definitely had a different approach, and it was a lot more fun - and I want to keep on going with this energy."Geis, a Delmar native who previously played and coached at Siena, moved up from JV to become varsity coach before this season. He wanted to make soccer less about pressure and more about enjoying the game and supporting one another. He brings motivational quotes on poster boards to practices and encourages players to try, fail and trust teammates to step in for one another."This should be their escape," Geis said. "This should be their joy, their true passion. As soon as you step onto this field, it's a home. We take care of each other.""I think we definitely had a mindset change," said sophomore Maira Braddock, who scored both goals in the semifinal win over Mohonasen. "I think we realized that we can really win this, and our coaching is just amazing, and it's just all the positivity out there."Bethlehem improved from 11th in the Suburban Council with a 3-10-1 league record last season to third at 6-2-2 this fall. The Eagles beat Class AAA teams Shaker and Saratoga Springs, beat defending Class AA champion Niskayuna and tied Class AA top seed Columbia during the regular season."You can see it out there. We have so much joy," Braddock said. "We all love each other and we all push for each other. I don't think we'd be where we are today if we didn't have the love for each other and the love for the game."The Eagles also learned from their losses. In a 4-2 defeat to Mohonasen in the regular-season finale, sisters Ella and Maggie Mullin combined for three goals and two assists. In Friday's semifinal, Bethlehem pressured the sisters and held Mohonasen scoreless."I love failure," Geis said. "Failure means you get to learn from it. Failure means you're trying."Bethlehem won the regular-season matchup against Ballston Spa 1-0 in late September, with Kayla Janse van Rensburg scoring the lone goal. Tuesday's rematch raises the stakes. Bethlehem will seek its first sectional title since 2019, while Ballston Spa, which defeated top seed Columbia in overtime on Friday, will aim for its first-ever sectional crown. Ballston Spa is coached by former Bethlehem coach Tom Rogan, who led Bethlehem to 348 wins and nine sectional titles during a tenure of more than two decades that ended in 2023. He coached three players on the Eagles' current roster - junior Kinley Logsdon, senior Mallory Maycrink and McCarthy.One win away from going to the state tournament, the Eagles know they are in a place not many players get to experience. The challenge now is getting there. "I think we need to find it within us," Braddock said, "and work really hard to get to the place that we want to be."SubscribeThere’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Finding the joy: Inside Bethlehem girls' soccer's turnaround heading into Class AA final.