What the Hopkinton High School girls ski team lacks in roster size, it has more than made up for in top-end talent and overall team chemistry this winter, according to coach Andrew Carlucci.

Leading the way for the Hillers is the sister duo of senior captain Lila Mato and sophomore Lucie Mato, both of whom were well-positioned to earn spots at the MIAA state meet this winter. Both have been in the top 10 during every meet this season.

“[Lila] is a real leader,” Carlucci said. “She takes the initiative and makes sure that the whole team is actually a team and that everybody feels welcomed.”

On the slopes, Carlucci described Lila Mato as “extremely technical” in her approach to the sport.

“She wants to go fast, and she wants to win,” he said. “She is doing very, very well. She has been a real standout.”

Carlucci used the same word, “standout,” to describe Lucie Mato.

“She is young, but she wants to get better every single day, and she puts forth a lot of effort to be really, really good,” he said. “She also makes sure people are tuned in and motivated during practices and on race day. She cheers for everybody and puts forth a lot of positive energy.”

That positivity has been a hallmark for the Hopkinton roster, which includes some athletes who are newer to the competitive aspects of the sport. Sophomore Rachel Kassab is one of those newer skiers, but Carlucci said she has put in the time and effort to show marked improvement in her first year of racing. The coach said Mary Boothroyd and Aashritha Sai Vuppala have a similar approach.

“They have the same sort of attitude where if they make a mistake, they want to learn from it and get better at skiing,” he said. “And that only makes them better at racing. They want to do better on that next run.”

Michaela Reilly and Ann-Cathrin Martin are two seniors who have approached the season from a standpoint of wanting to have fun and be positive contributors to the team, and Carlucci said they have done just that throughout the winter.

The tight-knit bunch has Carlucci hopeful that Hopkinton can increase its numbers in the season to come and reap the benefit of having a bit more depth as it competes on a weekly basis. Still, he is pleased with the results he has seen from the lineup he has put on the slopes this winter.

“The girls are doing well,” Carlucci said. “The team is small, but it is mighty.”