The answers have come quickly — just seven games in — and convincingly.
Ross (7-0) has yet to concede a goal through Tuesday’s games, rides a balanced attack and has developed the type of cohesion that makes O’Leary call this squad “so much fun to watch.”
Senior forward Kaylee Vocke said the backbone of Ross’ success has been its defense.
“I feel like our defense has stopped a lot. I mean, we haven’t had a goal scored on us yet,” Vocke said. “And I feel like our offense, like every opportunity we get, we take it.”
O’Leary said the defensive solidity comes not just from experience but from the collective buy-in of his roster. He has the luxury of substituting entire waves of players without seeing a drop in intensity — a hallmark of this team’s identity.
“Our goal is to try to wear teams down,” O’Leary said. “If we wear them down, hopefully our chances will come through play like that. And when your kids are touching the ball 10 to 15 times a possession, you can’t complain about that.”
The graduation of proven scorers could have left a void, but O’Leary believed early on the incoming class would ease that transition.
“The freshman class is a very talented group,” O’Leary said. “And the girls coming back that we had, I’ve seen so much improvement.”
He pointed to Vocke as one of the biggest contributors for helping develop the younger players.
“At the beginning of the season I told her, ‘You’re like a completely different kid,’” O’Leary said. “She’s playing so physical, so fast and so well. That’s been a blessing, especially in her senior year.”
For Vocke, who broke the school record last Saturday with four goals in a single game, this final ride is about more than statistics.
“My goal going into the season was just to have fun and have a good season and just do the best that I can,” she said.
She didn’t even know about her record-setting performance until O’Leary called her the next day.
“I was shocked at first, but it’s really cool,” Vocke said with a laugh.
O’Leary has repeated the phrase “progress, not perfection,” and he also said his Rams have been dominant but far from satisfied. Set pieces remain a point of emphasis, as Ross has generated corner after corner without always converting.
“We had a game where we had 15 corners and zero goals off of it,” O’Leary said. “That’s insane. Those are the things we work on in training. We’ve gotten better, but we’re not there yet.”
Still, Ross is finding easier goals through its quick-passing combinations and relentless work ethic. O’Leary said his players’ fitness, honed through a demanding summer strength program, shows up in the late stages of matches.
What separates Ross, Vocke said, is the spirit that pulses through the program.
“Even if we’re down or just having a bad game, our bench will pick everyone up on the team,” she said. “A lot of people notice that right away — the energy on and off the field is matched.”
That energy extends to the stands. The Rams have enjoyed boisterous student-section support this season, including a rowdy group of boys who simply chanted “soccer” for lack of more refined cheers.
“They have no idea what they’re doing, but I love it,” O’Leary said with a grin. “It makes me so happy and proud. Those are the things we’ll remember.”
For O’Leary, who has coached many of these girls since elementary school, the journey feels personal.
“I’ve had a lot of these kids since they were in third grade,” he said. “It’s a blessing because their families know me, and they’ve built those positive relationships. One of the things I value is just getting the girls to buy into this being our family.”
As the calendar turns toward October, Ross has positioned itself not just as a fun story but a serious contender.
“We’re better this year because we’re deeper,” O’Leary said. “For us it’s about continuing to raise the bar. If we keep improving, come November, I think we’ll be where we want to be.”
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