The JV girls’ soccer team beat Del Oro on Feb. 26 1-0.

Following the varsity team’s win with a score of 2-1, the JV team was focused on victory when game time came at 5:30 p.m.

“Del Oro has always been a great opponent but I knew that my players were going to come out ready and focused,” JV coach Marlowe Altamirano said.

This game marked the first home game in the team’s schedule as well as the first preseason game.

“At first I was a little nervous because I knew that Del Oro had a good soccer team. But since it was a home game I felt that we had an advantage since we practice (on the grass),” JV captain Toby Martinez said.

After less than a month of practice together as a team, JV came out possessing and keeping the ball on the opponent’s half of the field.

“We did great on our passing and playing as a team. We have been really working on connecting our passes and taking opportunities and I think we really capitalized on that today,” Altamirano said.

The team kept most of the possession for the first half but the score remained 0-0 at halftime. It wasn’t until #6 Leilani Howell’s breakaway goal in the seventh minute of the second half that the Wildcats took the lead.

“I was so relieved because it was my first goal of the season and in high school soccer,” Howell said.

The Golden Eagles contained the team to its 1-0 lead by pressuring and taking multiple shots in the second half.

“We need to stay composed when the other team is pressuring us,” Martinez said.

Altamirano believes that working on the team’s first touch and taking advantage of set play opportunities will help the team improve upon its skillful start in the season.

Due to decreasing daylight and lack of field lights above the grass soccer field, the team’s halves were only 20 minutes long compared to a normal game’s 45-minute halves.

“It was a short amount of time but both teams played good quality soccer,” Altamirano said.

by EMMA RICHIE