
Olivia Neild had put together an excellent season in goal for the Spring-Ford girls soccer team as a junior, helping the Rams to a berth in the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship match and the district quarterfinals. But as a senior this year, she went above and beyond that, not only continuing her stellar play as the starting goalkeeper, but also being instrumental in molding a team that had graduated most of its starting lineup into another PAC finalist and top-eight district contender.
And for her play in goal and her outstanding leadership on and off the field, she has earned the title of the Mercury All-Area Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
Neild stopped 86 percent of opponents’ shots this season (80 of 93), her second as the varsity starting keeper. That was even better than her save percentage of 85 as a junior. The Rams went 18-5, earning the No. 5 seed in the District 1-4A playoffs, a first-round bye and a home match in the second round. They also played defending champion Owen J. Roberts to a 0-0 draw through regulation play and overtime in the PAC final before falling in penalty kicks. All of that despite graduating 13 players from the previous year, including the entire back line.
“It really came together,” said Spring-Ford head coach Jeff Kushner. “A lot was Olivia communicating and organizing us on the back. She and Ava (Hissong) and Molly (Kennedy) were the veteran leadership.”
“For my junior year, we had a whole lineup of seniors,” said Neild. “This year, we had a whole new lineup. We did an amazing job and I’m really proud of the girls for being able to step into those shoes.”

Neild was at her best in goal in the second round of district play this season at Coach McNelly Stadium, a must-win match against Marple Newtown. That one went into penalty kicks tied at 0-0 and the kicks were tied in the fifth round with the visiting Tigers having a chance to win it on their final try. But Neild came up with a save and made two more stops after that and Spring-Ford once again advanced to the quarterfinal round.
“We’d gone to PK’s twice before and lost,” she said after the match.“I was scared, but I just had to go for it. I just had to trust my gut and go with what I thought was best. For the seniors, something much bigger was on the line.”
Neild finished her Ram career with a 36-9-1 record as a starter, including 23 shutouts while allowing an average of only 0.47 goals per game.
“The past two seasons, I’ve had great defense,” she said. “Even in my freshman and sophomore years, I had great defense.”
Neild began playing soccer at the age of three and was a striker until she was nine. Then the coach of her club team told goalkeeper coach Kushner, “Hey, why don’t we put a pair of gloves on her?”
“There was no set goalkeeper and I went in one game and I guess my coach thought I was pretty good,” said Neild. “I feel like I love being able to dive. It’s different from running and kicking. There’s all those skills, not just running and kicking.”
“She’s really grown into the game,” said Kushner. “I’m really proud of what she has accomplished. Her communication as a captain on the field and off the field has been awesome. She’s just always been one of the most coachable kids, easy to work with, always wanting to learn and find ways to help the team.”
That included her two years as captain as she communicated with her teammates during matches and practices.

“During games, I’ll yell to them,” she said. “They’ll yell at me when to come out. During downtime, like corner kicks, we’d have a little conversation about what would work best for us.
“We (she and co-captain Ava Hissong) just tried to stay positive, looking at the faces of our teammates, talking to them and trying to have confidence, telling them it’s supposed to be fun. And telling them if they didn’t want to talk to the coaches about something, they could talk to us.”
Competing in the PAC playoffs the past two seasons was definitely a highlight for Neild.
“We managed to make it to the PAC semifinals and final,” she said. “Those two games each year stood out. We got to play for something. We got to play in tough games.”
But perhaps more important was her friendship with her teammates throughout the years.
“I enjoyed being with the girls,” Neild added. “That’s what I looked forward to the most. I looked forward to practices. Soccer was the biggest part of my childhood.”
Neild may or may not play soccer in college, depending upon where she decides to continue her education.
“I’m being very particular,” she said. “I want to go south. I want to major in legal studies, a pre-law track, and hope to go to law school.”
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Mercury All-Area: 2024 Girls Soccer Teams
First Team
Olivia Neild, senior, Spring-Ford (Player of the Year)Molly Kennedy, senior, Spring-FordAva Hissong, senior, Spring-FordBrynn Vickery, junior, Spring-FordGiavanna Marciano, junior, Perkiomen ValleyBrianna Young, sophomore, Perkiomen ValleyMeryn Primanti, junior, Owen J. RobertsAvery Cies, sophomore, Owen J. RobertsFiona Sanders, senior, Owen J. RobertsTaylor Schneider, junior, PhoenixvilleOlivia Rubinich, junior, Pope John Paul II
Second Team
Brinley Steele, junior, Pope John Paul IIMiriana Michinok, junior, Pope John Paul IIMallory Hurlock, senior, Pope John Paul IISarah Straup, senior, Upper PerkiomenElyse Kreiner, senior, Upper PerkiomenHarper Glennon, senior, BoyertownBrenna Crowe, sophomore, Perkiomen ValleyEmma Gonzalez, senior, PottsgroveDaniela Castillo, senior, PottstownAlegra Serrano Starin, senior, PhoenixvilleAshly White, senior, Owen J. Roberts
Honorable Mention
Boyertown: Kayla Brennan, Ava LeathermanMethacton: Tessa Dwyer, Maddy WashburnNorristown: Wendy Campos-Juarez, Lissette Colon-RodriguezOwen J. Roberts: Abigail Kalbach, Cheyenne TheakstonPerkiomen Valley: Holli Nuss, Taylor Martin, Anna Mecouch, Madi LindsayPhoenixville: Lilah O’Donnell, Emine Ulcay, Julia Chain, Molly CironePope John Paul II: Leighton Bono, Jennifer Todd, Camryn LovePottsgrove: Ava Leaman, Elizabeth VishioPottstown: Jayanna HillSpring-Ford: Erin Buckley, Mackenzie KerrUpper Merion: Madison Mancini, Cat Pratt, Chelsea Smith, Mia Dixon, Elisa Dougherty, Sydney MarcheseUpper Perkiomen: Ava Long, Lexi Brunner
Coach of the Year
Jeff Kushner, Spring-Ford