Rough patches on the field
GIRLS SOCCER After a strong start in preseason, the team has struggled in league play.
Junior forward Olivia Valdivia pushes the pace in a 2-0 loss against Claremont.
January 24, 2018
Though the Diamond Bar High School girls soccer team has started the season 0-5, their first three losses have been by just a single goal.
“We’re not losing due to lack of skill. We’re losing due to a lack of effort and communication,” head coach Matt Franco said.
The Lady Brahmas lost their first two league games, 1-0, against the Bonita Bearcats and the Glendora Tartans, then fell to the Ayala Bulldogs 2-1.
“We play well,” Franco said. “It’s just finishing the game with that effort of trying to find that extra level we need to hit when we’re down a goal a league in the game.”
The girls have struggled to find their offensive groove, only scoring a single goal in their first five league games.
With the recent league games, the team changed its approach by focusing on corner kicks. According to Franco, the Lady Brahmas are minimizing mistakes, never taking their eyes off the ball. However, the team’s main priority is consistency.
“We want to keep our possession game, the short quick passes on the ground, no matter who we play. We want to try to dictate that game plan with anyone we play,” Franco said.
According to senior goalie Sam Blazek, the team has also been working on in-game scenarios and the movement of positioning during practice.
While the Lady Brahmas need to improve communicating on the field, Blazek stated that it is attainable.
“Our strong point is a connection as a team. There isn’t any drama or anything like that so the only thing we need to work on is communication, which can be easily acquired unlike bad sportsmanship,” Blazek said.
Franco said that the team has gained the experience of handling league games when playing against Division I and Division II teams during preseason. He also said that the speed of the team has increased from preseason to the league games.
“We need to find that fire to win,” Blazek said. “You can’t win if you don’t want to so we have to find that again in ourselves.”
With their focus on defense, the Lady Brahmas have had different players step up.
Franco stated that freshman Malai Borihane and sophomore Marisa Vasquez have been the team’s focal point of midfield play while senior Jacklyn Martinez and junior Jordyn Beaulieu have successfully shut down offensive players. Sophomore Madison Bernardino has also been a consistent player as the team’s forward.
On offense, the underclassmen have led the way as Vasquez and freshman Julia Ruelas have each scored five goals, a team-high.
“They’ve all stepped it up. It’s just a matter of gelling together and finding that chemistry so that way, they’re a little more [like] a unit as to a bunch of individuals,” Franco said.
