Before the season even started, Fox Chapel was miles ahead of where it has been the past few years.

For one, the Foxes girls' soccer team had an organized offseason, something that was not possible last season when a head coach was not hired until Aug. 7, four days before preseason training camp was to start.

Another thing that has to help the returning players at Fox Chapel is recognizing their coach. Establishing continuity has been a struggle for a program that has gone through numerous coaching changes over the past decade. Second-year coach Erik Duffy and his assistant, Abbie Burns, returned this season.

"With Abby and I coming back, it brings a little bit of stability and there is that comfort level," Duffy said. "It had to be nice for them to come to practice on day one and see two familiar faces."

The offseason differences have paid off on the pitch with the Foxes opening the season 7-1 overall and 5-0 in Section 3-AAA.

Duffy has turned things around at Fox Chapel in a hurry. He brought a program that had not qualified for the postseason since 2003 to the playoffs last year and this year the Foxes have cracked the Post-Gazette's top-10 rankings in Class AAA for the first time in nearly a decade.

"It is our second year here and we were able to have a summer camp and that really helped us get ready," Duffy said.

"We are very young but Abby and I are more comfortable with the team. Our progress will depend on how quickly the young players adapt. Realistically we didn't think we would be this far along already. The girls have really worked hard."

Although the results have improved, Duffy must deal with a roster of 22 players, with just three seniors. Duffy had originally hoped for a roster of about 27 or 28.

"We are five under what we expected," Duffy said. "But we would rather have 22 players who want to be there. Our numbers are not where we want them to be, but the attitude and effort is and that is a trade off we will take."

The two biggest holes Duffy has had to fill are those left by the graduations of Kelsey Russo and Lily Feldman, senior captains a year ago. Both are playing collegiate soccer now, Russo at California University of Pennsylvania and Feldman at Division-I Vermont.

Despite accomplished careers Russo and Feldman never had a chance to compete in the WPIAL playoffs before their senior year. That changed last season.

"To get to the playoffs and win that first game, it was icing on the cake for their careers," Duffy said.

"We are trying to get some tradition established here like there was in the 1980s and '90s."

To get that tradition established again Fox Chapel will rely on its returning starters, seniors Jenny Hall (center midfielder), Jordan Gottlieb (forward) and Elizabeth Boyle (center back). Fox Chapel has another returning starter in junior goalkeeper Rebekah Schoenecker and two defenders, junior Morgan Matisko and sophomore Carly Debaldo. Junior Maria Ricci is another returning starter at right midfield.

Hall and freshman Jessie Theissen led the team in scoring with six goals apiece through six games.

Fox Chapel will try to continue its solid play this afternoon when it plays host to Kiski Area in a section match.