As their schedule begins to ramp up, The Lady Eagles Soccer Team looks forward to a new season. Playing a busy schedule of 3 games per week almost every week and into the winter break as well, The Lady Eagles are beginning to tune up and tighten any loose bolts before the regular season. Their first game of the preseason was an away game on December 2nd against Mark Keppel High School. As the defending state champs showed their dominance with a 7-1 victory, they followed up with 2-2 draw at home against Sierra Vista and finished off the trio of games for the week against the West Covina Bulldogs on December 5, where they lost in a tough 2-0 match. Continuing their gauntlet of games on December 10, the team was on the road again against Montebello, losing in another close 2-1 game.

Expectations are high for this year’s team. Last season, the team reached the pinnacle of all high school sports teams, winning all available honors in their field: Mission Valley League Champions, Division 6 CIF Southern Section Champions, and State Champions. It’s going to be hard to replicate last year’s dream season, but the Lady Eagles have been working hard and remain hungry with their eyes on one goal.

Senior Captain Marlen Hernandez believes the team can reach the legacy of last year’s team. “This season has much higher expectations. People will expect us to come back even more and get a second title, and it feels like we have a target on our backs. Everyone is gonna come at us with everything,” Hernandez stated. The team believes they can be successful, but their focus is on what they know they can achieve as a team and won’t let the outside influences stop them.

The team lost senior leaders from last season’s team, but this team is senior-heavy as well and has many returning players. The experience of last year will certainly serve as an upside for the girls when facing adversity because they have been through it before

They’ve shown their grit on the field so far during this preview of what’s to come for this season.  Senior Isabella Lopez  shares, “Well, it’s still the beginning of the season so I feel like we have a lot of time to become a better team and improve, bond, and get to know each other as a team both on and off the field.” Since it’s still early on in the season, the team knows they want to win as many games as possible but will use the heavy schedule to their benefit, gaining in-game experience which will contribute to learning their teammate’s playing tendencies.

Interested students can support the defending state champion soccer team, both home and away, as they have been working hard and preparing for this season.