Victory shouts echo as joyous girls celebrate a decisive win. Battle scars and aching limbs have been avenged.

The opponent is defeated. With one right-footed kick from the 5′ 1″ left-footed mid-fielder, Melissa Jimenez, ’05, the team soars toward further success and a shot at the Valley Championship after defeating Mendota, 3-0, on Feb. 12.

“We have had a lot of injuries this year,” Jimenez said. “We have learned to work together and overcome our injuries, which allows us to have a shot at winning league.”

Even though this team is younger than past teams, the team’s potential blooms at practice.

“I think we’re a better team all around than last year’s team,” Michelle Smith, senior mid fielder, said. “”Our true potential really shows in practice as our younger players improve every time they step on the field.””

As current league champions for the fifth straight year, the girls have begun the annual fight for the Valley title.

“We need to keep up the determination,” Christina Cabias, freshman goalie, said. “We can’t get lazy, and we need have intense practices to prepare for the playoffs.”

Head coach, Robert Foshee, has a positive outlook on the team’s future success.

“We have a young team,” Foshee said. “We’ve had a lot of injuries but we’ve been able to finish strong. I think we’re playing our best soccer right now.”

The knowledge and skills Foshee and assistant coach Andria Baird bring to the game are widely appreciated by the players, according to Smith.

“Our coaches are wonderful,” Smith said. “They are tough on us sometimes, but we know that they are doing it to make us better.”

Confronting difficulties has proved the team to be capable of overcoming various struggles.

“I feel that we faced a lot of challenges,” Baird said. “Having a lot of injuries and a young team was difficult but we’ve overcome the lack of experience, having to play people in different positions because of injuries and peaking at just the right time.”

After a 14-8-1 overall and 10-1 in W.S.L., the girls will host Farmersville in the first round of the CIF playoffs on Feb. 18 starting at 3:30 P.M.” “Brianna Stobbe, Photographer” “Seniors Michelle Nachtigall, left, and Michelle Smith, back right, pursue the ball in a Jan. 29 game against Caruthers.” “Brianna Stobbe, Photographer” “Freshman Jenny Beckman, right, prepares to head the ball as teammate Melissa Jimenez, ’05, looks on.” “Insert text here