Whitman-Hanson Express

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Rates
    • Advertisement Rates
    • Subscription Rates
    • Classified Order Form
  • Business Directory
  • Contact the Express
  • Archives
You are here: Home / Archives for Olivia Borgen

Borgen, Manning & Melia the ‘driving force’ behind girls’ soccer’s title run

January 6, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Four years ago, Olivia Borgen, Nora Manning and Ava Melia cracked the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team as freshmen. 

They made an immediate impact. 

Borgen and Manning netted eight goals apiece, which was good for second on the team. Melia was a standout on the back line. 

Four years later, they depart as the senior captains of the program’s first-ever state title. 

“They were the driving force, in a sense that they’ve experienced some big games,” said W-H head coach David Floeck. “We didn’t have the state tournament the year prior but they had the experience from their freshman and sophomore years of playing in a state tournament, so their leadership on and off the field was really invaluable for us. They were definitely the engine that made us go — those three.” 

The state championship game is a perfect example. 

The Panthers looked down and out as they trailed a Silver Lake team — that had shut them out in both of their previous two meetings — 1-0 late in the second half. 

Olivia Borgen, despite being in a walking boot with a sprained right ankle until she boarded the bus, provided the spark with the equalizer in the 69th minute. 

Shortly thereafter, Manning made perhaps the play of the game when she drew a foul on the Silver Lake keeper in the box.

Enter Melia. She rocketed home the penalty kick for a 2-1 W-H lead. 

Manning followed it up with a goal of her own to add some insurance. 

“Liv and Ava are my best friends and it is so special to me that I got the chance to spend some of the best years of my life with them,” said Manning, who netted 12 goals and dished out 15 assists. “Playing with them these past four years has been amazing. I’m going to miss playing with [them] more than anything and I still can’t believe it’s all over.”

Added Borgen, a back-to-back All-New England selection, who scored a team-high 23 goals with 14 assists: “It’s so special to have shared this journey with them. From tiny little freshman trying to fit in on the team to senior captains leading our team to a state championship, it feels unreal.”

Said Melia, a two-time EMass first-teamer: “To make varsity together as timid, young freshman to later make it all the way as captains and state champions is amazing.”

Borgen and Melia are no stranger to lifting hardware. Back in 2017, they won the National Championship together with their South Shore Select club team. 

“Sharing that with her has given us an amazing relationship,” Melia said. 

The three will head their separate ways next year to continue their soccer careers. Borgen will play at Penn State, Manning is heading to Stonehill College and Melia is going to Bryant University. 

“They led the way with their energy level and how much it mattered,” Floeck said. “They were really committed to try and bring a state championship to the school.” 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Ava Melia, David Floeck, Feature/Profile, Nora Manning, Olivia Borgen, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Soccer

Future Nittany Lion: Borgen bound for Penn State

January 21, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Olivia Borgen is Penn State-bound. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High junior Olivia Borgen will take her talents to Penn State University.


Her decision is in. 

Whitman-Hanson Regional High junior Olivia Borgen has committed to play soccer at Division 1 Penn State University. 

“Penn State has a very competitive soccer program and I definitely want to be challenged and improve my soccer game and I feel that Penn State will help me get to the next level,” said the Hanson native. “They are a very big sports school and I love that about Penn State.” 

An All-New England first-team selection this fall, Borgen also considered Boston College and Clemson. Ironically enough, Penn State is the only one of those schools she never visited. But, she didn’t need to. 

“My cousin, Lindsay, went there and she absolutely loved the school,” Borgen said. “I was at the 2015 [D1 NCAA women’s soccer] championship game in North Carolina, when they won and because it was in North Carolina, almost everyone was cheering for Duke, but I was definitely cheering for Penn State.”

Borgen said the first time Penn State saw her on the pitch was this past February at the Penn Fusion Showcase in Pennsylvania. She followed up with an email and asked them to watch her in game action.

“I’m glad I did because apparently, they liked what they saw,” Borgen said. 

How could you not? The Patriot League All-Star has netted 39 goals and dished out 25 assists over her first three seasons at W-H. She credited her high school head coach David Floeck for helping her become a goal scorer.

“When I came in as a freshman, I would always look to pass first, which in some cases is definitely the right move, but he always encouraged me to shoot when the opportunity was there and it really helped grow as an attacking-minded player,” said the speedy Borgen, who holds the W-H girls’ outdoor track 100-meter dash school record of 12.44. “That definitely helped my game.”

But despite her success so far, Borgen knows she has work to do as she gears up for her collegiate career. 

“I’m planning on getting stronger mentally and physically before I head to Happy Valley,” Borgen said,  “So, a lot of strength and conditioning and mental training to try and bring my game to the next level.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: College Commitment, Olivia Borgen, Penn State University, Penn State University Women's Soccer, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Soccer

Your Hometown News!

The Whitman-Hanson Express covers the news you care about. Local events. Local business. Local schools. We honestly report about the stories that affect your life. That’s why we are your hometown newspaper!
FacebookEmailsubscribeCall

IN THE NEWS

Hanson passes $3M override proposal

May 8, 2025 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON – Hanson Town meeting voters are giving the town’s voters another chance to be heard on the … [Read More...]

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

Whitman-Hanson Express

FEATURED SERVICE DIRECTORY BUSINESS

LATEST NEWS

  • Sr. tax work-off raise May 8, 2025
  • Whitman honors fire Lt. Brian Trefry May 8, 2025
  • Hanson passes $3M override proposal May 8, 2025
  • Whitman OK’s $2M override plan May 8, 2025
  • Memories of Mom as Mothers Day nears May 1, 2025
  • Whitman Democrats to Elect Delegates to State Convention May 1, 2025
  • Town ballots form up May 1, 2025
  • Whitman outlines override impact May 1, 2025
  • Whitman gains $65K cybersecurity grant April 24, 2025
  • What is DEI, really? April 24, 2025

[footer_backtotop]

Whitman-Hanson Express  • 1000 Main Street, PO Box 60, Hanson, MA 02341 • 781-293-0420 • Published by Anderson Newspapers, Inc.

 

Loading Comments...