Georgetown Visitation junior Megan Nayak seemed to gain steam with each graceful stride and booming shot Tuesday afternoon. Her assaults at net grew more frequent. Two attempts hit the crossbar minutes apart, another chance required a diving stop by the goalkeeper, and she nearly fed a teammate for the game-winner in the closing seconds of regulation.
Nayak probably deserved a better fate, especially after the Cubs let up a late goal and played to a 2-2 tie against National Cathedral in a crucial Independent School League AA division matchup. None of that occurred to her, though. She was too busy making believers on the soccer field again, none more important than herself.
“I thought after my injuries, I wouldn’t come back like this, so I’m really happy,” Nayak said.
The forward has been one of the pleasant surprises on the Washington area girls’ soccer scene this fall, scoring a team-high 12 goals for resurgent Georgetown Visitation (6-3-3). This is her first year playing varsity soccer after a high school career that was initially derailed by balky knees.
Nayak first learned both her knee caps were off center late in eighth grade and tried physical therapy. Eventually, her right knee required surgery. When Nayak returned to soccer, however, her left knee began giving her trouble and another medical procedure awaited.
She spent her freshman year at Visitation serving as a manager for the junior varsity team. Last season, she eased her way back into the sport by playing with the junior varsity and fine-tuning her fundamentals. Only this offseason did Nayak join her old club team again.
“That’s why people haven’t seen her,” Coach Carey Burke said. “People are like, ‘Megan Who?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, Megan Nayak.’
“But we knew. For a player like that to get back is honestly really inspiring, so I’m really proud of her to be able to realize that.”
Nayak has been so good so quickly, and she was out for so long, that Burke worries about her player’s opportunities at the next level. Like lacrosse, college soccer’s recruiting process is sped up, and many of the area’s top players pick up scholarship offers before their junior year of high school.
But it's hard to miss Nayak out on the field in the parity-filled ISL AA this year. She uses her long frame and a soft touch to ward off defenders and, combined with the field vision of freshman Lauren Teuschl and the speed of sophomore Izzy Varea, the Cubs can be a constant offensive threat.
They are also back near the top of the league standings as the postseason approaches, with defending ISL AA champion Bullis (6-4-1), Potomac School (5-2-3) and National Cathedral (6-2-4) all leading contenders during a fall campaign that proved any team from the division can beat any other.
For Nayak, though, these stakes are just another reminder of the journey she endured to reach this point.
“Being taken away from it made me appreciate it more,” she said. “I just want it that much more.”
The Big number: 29
Goals scored by Wilson seniors Jisca Adigo and Nicole Distinto this season. The Tigers had another perfect season facing District public schools entering the upcoming D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association and D.C. State Athletic Association tournaments.
Player of the week
F Gabriella Gordon, Paul VI, Sr.
Gordon had four goals in three games last week as the Panthers solidified their second-place spot in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference standings with wins over St. Mary’s Ryken, Holy Cross and O’Connell. She has scored at least one goal in five consecutive games.
The Post Top 10
Broadneck can wrap up another Anne Arundel County regular-season title with a win over Old Mill Thursday. . . . Spalding remains atop the IAAM-A standings after Katie Martin's goal in the 15th minute held up in a 1-0 win over Notre Dame Prep last week. . . . All-Met Cammie Murtha has 15 goals and 12 assists over her past six games for Walter Johnson. . . . Senior Samantha Sekscienski had a goal and an assist when Northwest knocked off then-No. 10 Whitman, 2-1, on Tuesday. . . . Forward Mary Twetten had the lone goal as Northern remained undefeated by beating defending Maryland 4A finalist Leonardtown, 1-0, in a big SMAC matchup Tuesday. . . . St. John's controls its own destiny in the WCAC regular-season title race after defeating Good Counsel, 2-1, last Thursday.
1. Broadneck (10-1-1) Last week: 1
2. Spalding (9-2-2) LW: 2
3. Walter Johnson (12-1) LW: 3
4. Northwest (12-0-1) LW: 5
5. Northern (10-0) LW: 6
6. St. John's (7-1-1) LW: 7
7. Churchill (7-1-2) LW: 4
8. Paul VI (9-1) LW: 8
9. South River (9-2-1) LW: 9
10. Atholton (10-2-1) LW: NR
Dropped out: No. 10 Whitman (7-2-3)
On the bubble: Arundel (7-3-2), Huntingtown (11-3), Good Counsel (9-5-2)
Records through Tuesday.
