Girls’ soccer: Eyes on CCS

With the last game left in the season, the girls’ soccer team, currently in first place in the El Camino League, is getting close to making CCS for the second time in seven years.

In order to make it to CCS, the Falcons must finish at the top of the league. The team must perform well in their next four games to maintain their edge over Milpitas and Fremont, who are following closely behind.

Making it to CCS will be no easy task, especially in the team’s last game today against Fremont. The team will be missing many key players including sophomore goalie Alyson Nilan-Axline due to the Mexico trip, freshman center midfielder Stephanie Ho said.

“Fremont is really good and physical,” Ho said. “Playing against them will be challenging without some of our best players.”

As of late January, the team had yet to lose a league game. The team won its game against Santa Clara 1-0 on Jan. 31 and also won 1-0 against Wilcox on Jan. 28. Freshman forward Lindsay Webster scored a goal in both games.

The team beat Santa Clara, Cupertino, Lynbook and Milpitas—prior to the Jan. 21 game against Fremont, a team the Falcons tied 2-2. Juniors Kari Clark and Antara Rao scored goals against Fremont.

“[Fremont is] a really strong team and they challenge us in every aspect of the game, but I still believe our team is stronger,” sophomore defender Megan Doles said.

This season, much of the team’s success can be attributed to new coach Molly Flannigan’s implementation of a new formation on the field. The formation is called the 4-5-1 with three midfielders forming a triangle in the center and two forwards that also play outside mid.

“The formation didn’t work too well at the beginning of the year because it was new to all of us,” Rao said. “But we got the hang of it by the time the season came around and it’s really helped us offensively.”

Doles said the advantage of the new formation is that the wings are always open, forcing a game through the middle of the field. In addition to the formation, individual skills and passing have helped the team progress overall.

“We pass really well which makes it easier for us to get around the other team,” Clark said. “Our defense is also pretty solid and we have good midfielders and forwards who can shoot.”

The Falcons have one game left in the season until CCS, so its biggest concern is staying hungry.

“Our biggest weakness will be staying strong throughout the rest of the season,” Clark said. “We can’t get caught up in the success we have had so far.”