A true leader with a passion for the game, Patricia DePalma PO ‘27 plays a major role as a goalkeeper on the Pomona-Pitzer (P-P) women’s soccer team.
In the current season alone, DePalma has racked up 17 saves, six shutouts and two goals allowed in eight games. She set her in-game record with six saves against Whittier College on Sept. 18, and six days earlier on Sept. 12, faced 10 shots against the University of California Santa Cruz and saved the four that were on target.
The Sagehens have an overall record of 6-0-2 in their early stages of SCIAC play. DePalma expressed her excitement about the season so far, and said she was eager to see what the team can do as the year progresses.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing our team develop as the season goes on because we have a really good group of players,” DePalma said. “I think everyone has been bringing a lot of intensity in training, so it has been really fun to see our team improve a lot in the last month.”
According to DePalma, her most memorable moment as a Sagehen was a Sixth-Street rivalry night game against the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Athenas on Sept. 30, 2023, which ended in a 0-0 draw. DePalma recalled how, despite the scoreless game, P-P demonstrated fighting spirit and grit.
“I remember it was a really hard game under the lights, and there were a lot of people watching,” DePalma said. “It wasn’t the best game that we have ever played before, but it was definitely a time where we all had each other’s backs. That specific game, we were feeling really proud that we all fought hard.”
DePalma finds inspiration from her teammates, especially senior Eliana Prosnitz PO ‘25.
“Someone that I look up to on my team is Eliana because I played in high school with her,” DePalma said. “I think she has this style of play that looks very smooth and graceful.”
As a goalkeeper, DePalma has eyes on the whole field, priding herself on being an effective communicator to ensure the team is organized. While DePalma has shown she is capable of a strong individual performance, she attributes much of her success to her teammates.
“They’re the ones that are always pushing me in practice and in the game,” DePalma said. “I can count on them to always tell me to pick my head up and to keep moving.”
Head Coach Jennifer Scanlon shared her observations on the balance DePalma strikes between working hard while also taking time to celebrate.
“She’s locked in on the field and doesn’t take any reps off, she wants perfection,” Scanlon said. “But she’s also all about celebrating team success when we score a goal and she races up to congratulate a teammate.”
This hard work has paid off for both DePalma and the team as a whole, according to Scanlon.
“She has great reactions and can get to balls to make saves that you wouldn’t expect her to,” Scanlon said. “She’s also spent time working on her technical skills and her distribution, which has really paid off for our team. She can help us keep possession and break lines which is a huge help to starting our offensive attack.”
DePalma has a specific pregame routine that includes the same game-day breakfast and ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” which holds a special place for her on the field.
“I really like Dancing Queen by ABBA because that’s the song that plays if I get a shutout, so sometimes I listen to it before the game to get myself hyped up,” she said.
DePalma’s praise is not confined to the pitch, with Hadley Johnson PO ‘26, a fellow goalkeeper on the team, noting DePalma as an inspiring teammate and friend.
“Patrica has helped me on the field by pushing me to be my best, and off the field by being a supportive friend and teammate,” Johnson said. “The best part about Patricia’s game is her mentality; She is so dedicated to her individual goals and that pushes her to be the best she can be.”
As the Sagehens look to control the season ahead, DePalma seems to be playing a big role in this journey.
“She has been the difference-maker in a couple games that changed the result of the match,” Scanlon said. “She lives for the big moments and wants that responsibility.”
After shutting out Occidental 2-0 on Wednesday, Sept. 25 with DePalma in goal, the Sagehens will continue SCIAC competition against Chapman on Saturday, Sept. 28.
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