Tides

'I've learned a lot about resilience': How Saorla Miller is helping the Tides make waves this season

The Halifax Tides had amble opportunity — putting a whopping 23 shots towards goal — against Ottawa Rapid FC last week but desperately lacked a finisher, someone capable of converting when it mattered most.

For much of this season, Saorla Miller has been that player for the Tides: an attacker with a willingness to put her laces through the ball but also graced with a clinical touch to get on the score sheet.

Less than halfway through the 2026 Northern Super League (NSL) season, Miller, who grew up in Halifax, is tied for the squad lead in goals with four. She's also added an assist to her name, tying her inaugural NSL campaign's goal contributions despite playing 781 minutes less.

Miller, like her club, looks reinvigorated after an off-season of change which saw Halifax recruit quality players like South Korean international Cho So-Hyun, former Liverpool FC 'keeper Rylee Foster-Inman, and American striker Jordyn Rhodes.

This is not last year's Tides. Nor is Miller the same player who first took to the Wanderers Grounds in 2025.

"We have this new belief," Miller told HFX Football Post. "We feel like the team is really together. We're really well connected and we feel great about the start of the season so far in general."

Part of the Tides' improved form this season can be attributed to players from last year — be it Miller, attacking full-back Julianne Vallerand or dependable midfielder Karima Lemire — taking another step in their development.

Last season, of course, saw the club navigate rough waters towards a disappointing finish. But Miller said it taught her important lessons about herself and aspiring to improve every match.

“Overall, I learned a lot about resilience and taking what you can from every game and learning what you can improve on individually. I learned, no matter what, there’s good and bad you can take from every game and how you can use it going through the season and into the next game," she explained.

Part of those lessons included managing the NSL's grueling travel schedule, which Miller said tests her body and mind thanks to quick turnarounds and countless hours spent on planes or airport lounges.

Saorla Miller is currently tied for the team lead in goals this season. (Photo Credit: Halifax Tides FC)

“It’s hard to feel at your best in a 25 game season with the tight turnarounds we have and all the travel. Any little thing you can do to make yourself feel better was my focus from last season," she said, adding she tries to stretch as much as possible, uses compression leggings and other little tips to try and gain an advantage on the pitch.

“How can I make sure my body is ready as much as it can be for every game?”

Miller has certainly delivered as she looks more dangerous this year, her four markers a testament to her accuracy. She's also taken 21 shots (averaging just under two a match) while being deployed as one of head coach Stephen Hart's most trusted players.

Miller also credited the squad's improvement for her own success, praising the club's additions, both on and off the pitch.

These changes, she said, have led to a more potent attack as the Tides were highlighted as having created the most chances of any NSL club in the first five matches of the season.

For a squad that finished last in the league in goal scoring last year, Miller said the difference is striking.

“Everyone knows it’s not as tiring to have the ball,” she said with a laugh.

“We’ve been able to have those spells in a game where we’re controlling the tempo and that’s been really nice as a player. As a forward, it gives you more time to pick out a run or pick how you want to go at this player. This year, that’s been a big change in how much we’ve had the ball and owned the ball.”

When asked if midfield additions like So-Hyun and Julia Benati have made a difference, Miller explained the Tides have been able to keep the ball more effectively. But they're also finding ways to provide service for attackers like herself looking to make runs and stretch play.

She's also developed chemistry with Rhodes, a player she had played against in Iceland.

“I was always like: ‘Oh, she’s hard to play against.’ Now, being able to play with her and having a strong connection as a winger with your forward, it’s super important. I’ve enjoyed making that connection and I’m hoping it can improve even more," she said.

Miller may have missed last week's match. But you can bet, if she's fit, she'll continued to be leaned on by Hart as the Tides search for their first-ever playoff appearance and trophy in club history.

Editor's Note: This article is part of our free coverage.