The goalkeeper?s body tenses up, ready to stop the ball from entering the goal. She dives for the ball, and prevents the opposing team from scoring.

Senior Marielle Desrosiers, girls’ soccer keeper, began playing soccer in kindergarten and became actively involved in it for a majority of her school years.

?My freshman year I was afraid to go towards the ball because I was scared of messing up,? Desrosiers said. ?Now I am more aggressive and I have better ball control.?

Now in her final year on the campus soccer team, Desrosiers leads the team as the keeper. Although she throws her body into the air to prevent the ball from entering the goal, sometimes the ball slips through her fingers.

?Sometimes I feel responsible when a ball goes into the goal,? Desrosiers said, ?especially when it is an easy goal. I get upset but I try not to let that affect the rest of the game.?

When an opposing player breaks away from the group and drives toward the goal, Desrosiers braces herself and prepares to block the ball.

?I?m a little nervous when they shoot the ball,? Desrosiers said. ?It?s intimidating when a girl gets a break and comes toward the ball. It becomes a one-on-one battle between the me and the player.?

Garret Markarian, first year girls? soccer coach and ?99 alumnus, returned to campus after his positive experience during high school.

?We started practicing in the beginning of November,? Markarian said. ?She (Marielle) is a great athlete and is willing to work and learn new techniques, which is beneficial as the keeper.?

Paige Powell, ’10, appreciates Desrosiers’ dedication to the team.

?She?s a great goalie,? Powell, two-year soccer player, said. ?She is not afraid of the ball and she has a strong passion for the game.?

The students practice approximately two hours each day to prepare for their upcoming games. Currently the team is 5-4 overall.

?Right now we are working on our ball handling skills,? Desrosiers said. ?For me, the hardest part about the workout is the core training at the end of practice.?

Markarian leads the drills as he prepares the team to dominate the schools in the South West Sequoia League.

Even when the team is losing, the coach expects them to maintain a positive attitude and play their hardest on the field.

?Our coach always tell us to play like the score is 0-0,? Desrosiers said. ?I try not to think about how many points are on the board, but play my hardest at all times.?

Yesterday at the first home game against Mendota, Desrosiers choose to run out to the ball and make a save for her team.

“The girl was coming at full speed towards me,” Desrosiers said. “I ran out to the ball and took it from her. She kept running, we ran into each other and our team got a penalty kick from it.”

Desrosiers looks forward to the upcoming Garces Holiday Soccer Festival. The team will play against Taft, Mammoth Lakes, Frazier Mountain and Coast Union from Dec. 14-15.

?We go down to Bakersfield for a weekend tournament,? Desrosiers said. ?It?s a fun time to spend with friends and bond together as a team.?

Despite six seniors graduating last year, Desrosiers remains optimistic for their upcoming season.

?We have a lot of new people who haven?t played in high school before,? Desrosiers said. ?They have learned pretty quickly and our team bonds together well.?

Many of the younger teammates admire Desrosiers and look up to her for leadership and a positive attitude on the field.

“She’s really encouraging,” Rachel Wilhelm, ’11, said. “She accepts everyone. She works hard and does really well.”