When half the starting team consists of first-time freshmen and sophomores, some time has to pass before they truly understand varsity soccer and the speed of it. At the same time, facing tougher competition throughout a season often is a good thing, even if it means getting thumped every now and then.

During the Barnegat girls soccer team’s second game of group play in the Shore Conference Tournament on Sept. 18, Shore Regional just about controlled the game from start to finish.