In front of the biggest crowd of the season, the girls varsity soccer team earned a decisive 5–0 Homecoming win over South Whidbey on September 26.
In their first six conference matches, South Whidbey conceded 14 goals compared to the Pumas’ 6. So, UPrep didn’t need to play the prettiest soccer to come away with the win. But Head Coach and PE teacher Niki Harris said that games like this one are an important opportunity for growth.
“When you have two teams of really different levels, it’s easy to play down. And I do think we got caught doing that a bit,” Harris said. “It’s also a good time to practice scoring good goals, not just goals, because the other team maybe isn’t as strong.”
For Harris, a big part of these matchups is giving younger players meaningful minutes.
“It’s always nice to have an opportunity to get some younger players in to give them a taste of what it’s going to be like in the coming years,” Harris said.
Freshman Scout Lincoln said that while the team dominated the scoreboard, they still have room to improve.
“We weren’t playing the best, and we weren’t doing a great job connecting passes,” she said. “We were kind of forcing it instead of controlling the ball.”
Still, Lincoln said that playing in front of a loud and supportive student section made the night unforgettable.
“I love playing with a crowd; I felt so supported, and it was a great environment,” Lincoln said.
Harris agreed that the atmosphere made the night special.
“I think that’s what makes high school sports memorable,” Harris said. “They probably won’t remember much about this season, but they’re going to remember that game, just because of how many people came out to watch.”
The sidelines were filled with cheering Uprep students, and that affects the team in a real way.
“We absolutely love having people come out to watch,” Harris said. “It makes the games more exciting. The more people we can get out, the better. It definitely helps the energy on the field.”
Even with the strong start to the season, Harris said that the group is still developing chemistry.
“We haven’t quite clicked yet, but I think we’re going to get there,” she said. “We’re finding ourselves.”
Lincoln described the team’s attitude this season with one word: “positivity.”
“Even when we’re not playing our best, we stay positive and keep working together,” Lincoln said.