One Game Shy of CIF Playoffs

Ryan Chae, Contributing Writer

The Lady Brahmas waited too long to picked up the slack and missed the CIF playoffs by one game. Even though the team rode a three-game winning streak to end the regular season, it was not enough for the Lady Brahmas.

“The season went well during preseason but we got off to a rocky start during the beginning of league. [However], we got back on to our feet in the last three games and won all three with shut-outs,” junior Sabrina May said.

The Diamond Bar girls soccer team had a 12-8-2 overall record and finished fourth in the Palomares League. The team will now have a long offseason to work on improvements for next season.

“We barely missed out. One game. We finished in fourth place, but you needed third. The way the numbers worked out, we barely missed out,” head coach Matt Brummett said.

In their first season in the Palomares League, the Lady Brahmas struggled during the first half of league play going 0-3-2. However, the team was able to adapt to the new environment and finished the final five games with a record of 3-2, including a 1-0 victory over League Champion Ayala in the last game of the season.

“I think overall, transitioning into a new league was tough, but the season was a good one. We won a lot of games, especially towards the end,” Brummett said.

With this year’s season over for the Lady Brahmas, the team has pinpointed different areas to improve in for next season.
“We can definitely improve on team bonding. I believe we did not have enough of it this year, and team chemistry is important to the overall success of a team,” May said.
Even with a bumpy start to its season, the team was still able to find some highlights in its players.

“There was a lot of players that stood out. First off, there was Marissa Favela. She had 20 goals and a successful season. We also had Helena Kisor, a strong presence on the field. Along the backline, Mia Truggerro really stood out,” Brummett said.

However, the team will undergo changes as the Lady Brahmas are losing some if its own to graduation. With nine seniors leaving, including captains Favela, Kisor, and Truggerro, the team will surely be looking for many of its underclassmen to step up.

“I learned to never give up hope, and a lot of what I drew from the seniors was to not give up throughout the season and to keep on fighting even though we did not get the results we have wanted,” May said.

“The team for next year is going to be returning some good players, a lot of talent, and if they continue to work hard, they’ll have a lot of success,” Brummett said.