Twins Lexi and Roni Schaffer help Cherry Hill East soccer get back on map

When trying to explain how much soccer means to them — how hard they work at the sport — Lexi Schaffer thought back to Christmas.

She and her twin sister, Roni, had gotten some money as a present.

"We used that money," she said with a smile, "to buy a squat rack."

Of course they did.

"We keep it in our garage. So now we're even lifting whenever we can," she added.

The twins — senior stars of the Cherry Hill East girls' soccer team — said they push each other just as hard at home as they do at practice.

"There's a lot of conditioning," Roni said. "Because, basically if you're not fit, you can't play. And after the conditioning we do a lot of technical work because touch is so important."

The hard work is paying off. The sisters both earned Division I offers and are committed to Boston University.

And they've helped the Cougars to one of their best starts in years. At 6-6, Cherry Hill East already has more wins this season than in any season since 2012, when the team finished 8-10-1.

"We start two seniors, and that's it, but they're the nucleus of our team," said coach Lee Troutman. "They both have different styles. Roni is so active all over the field. Lexi has more of a level-headed approach. But they're pushing each other constantly. They're always at the top of their game. And that's infectious on our team."

The sisters credit Troutman for some of the team's recent success. Troutman helped found the Cherry Hill East girls' soccer program and coached the team from 1982-1999 before a 10-year stint at Haddon Heights. He retired as the winningest coach in South Jersey history and has been passed since then by Eastern's Jamie McGroarty. But he returned to the Cougars three years ago, he said, to help turn around a program that he loved.

And it helps to have talented players.

"I'm happy with how things are going right now," Troutman said.

In addition to the Schaffer twins, the team also features Faith Rosenblatt, who returned this season after playing academy soccer, and four players — Isabella Rossetti, Rebecca Winslow, Brianna Wons, and Jillian Drumm — who were part of a club team that won the U.S. Youth Soccer under-16 national championship in July.

With talent all over the field, the Schaffers are leading the team from the defense.

Ronnie is a center back. Lexi is typically a center midfielder, but Troutman likes the idea of having both in more of a defensive role so that they can create a push that can  help steer the team's offense.

Plus, it doesn't hurt to have to players with that kind of chemistry in the same third of the field.

"Just seeing her on the field, I know exactly what she's going to do and how she sees the play and how she opens up. So it's very effective," Lexi said.

"We work and train as partners," Roni added. It's part of the reason they chose to go to the same college.

"I know I can look to her when I need motivation and she can look to me when she needs motivation," Roni said.

For now, the twins are focused on ending their high school careers on a high note. The Cougars play in the Olympic Conference American Division, the toughest in the state, and have been competitive with many of those top teams, even if the wins weren't always there.

This season, the Cougars have visions of the South Jersey Group 4 tournament, of returning to the Coaches Tournament, of finally beating, and not just competing, with some of those top teams.

"I think we can go as far as we want," Lexi said. "If we keep working, maybe you'll see us make some history."