The Knightly News

By: Josh Chait & Ismail Sy

A brilliant multi-season athlete—having played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse since her freshman year—senior Sydney Vogel has transcended any reasonable expectations for a high school athlete. Last year, along with key lacrosse players Jillian Pelosi and Maria Tello, Vogel led the lacrosse team to the semifinals of the Mercer County Tournament and helped defeat the team’s greatest rival: High School South. This year, Vogel was recognized as one of the top 20 girls soccer players in the NJ Central Region during the 2019 season. 

Vogel has channeled a lifelong passion for team sports into lacrosse, which she has played since fifth grade. “I have always loved being active,” she said. Despite her objectively awesome skills, Vogel’s favored spring sport hasn’t always been lacrosse. “I was hesitant at first, but I made the switch from softball to lacrosse and now I absolutely love the sport,” she says. 

Vogel loves the challenge of lacrosse. “I like the creativity you have on offense as well as how hard you have to work on defense,” she says. “It is easy to pick up a lot of tricks and implement them in your game. It makes offense fun and defense difficult.”  Lacrosse is also a relatively high scoring game which keeps it exciting and the outcome unpredictable. Vogel’s enthusiasm, talent, and tenacity have not gone unnoticed. “Sydney has a huge impact on the team,” said Senior Kathryn Murphy, a fellow member of the lacrosse team. “She works so hard during practice and games, she has amazing lacrosse skills, and she’s super athletic.”

Vogel’s high school sports career has encountered some huge hurdles in the form of injuries. During her sophomore year, Vogel tore her ACL and needed surgery. Yet, in typical Syd Vogel fashion, she frames this painful experience in a positive light:  “It was a great learning experience getting to watch the game alongside the coaches.” Vogel’s can do attitude influences everybody on the team. “I admire how Sydney can make anyone smile,” said Murphy. “She’s so caring and goes out of her way to brighten your day.”

Vogel’s defining energy, empathy, and passion, define her presence on and off the field. “Anyone can have the skill to play lacrosse, but it’s rare to find someone like Sydney, who loves the sport, loves her team, and loves to play,” said Murphy. Overflowing with passion for her friends, her family, athletics (especially soccer, which she plays both in and out of school), Sydney engages with the North community in many ways. She is a National Honor Society Member, a Peer Leader, and Vice President of the Interact Club.  

Now that the pandemic has cancelled her final season, Vogel still takes from it positivity.  “Lacrosse has reinforced my belief in hard work,” she said.  No matter how high the odds were stacked against them, “[the team] came out on top solely based on our heart and desire to win.” According to Murphy, “the whole team dynamic would have been different without Sydney’s encouragement and dedication to the sport,” said Murphy. Vogel plans on continuing her lacrosse career at the University of Michigan, where she will participate in the lacrosse club.