The girls soccer team fought hard but finished with a 2-2 draw against the Palo Alto Vikings on Thursday night.
M-A kicked off with possession of the ball, launching a strong offense but failing to capitalize on a free kick near Paly’s goal in the ninth minute.
The Vikings pushed back, sprinting into Bear territory and firing off a shot from just outside the 18-yard box. Though they missed, the Bears retreated to defense and rallied to prevent more shots from reaching freshman goalkeeper Adeleine Soltys.
M-A quickly retaliated with multiple shots in a row. Freshman forward Cassidy Thomas surged into Viking territory, though a lack of offensive support left her unable to score. Soon after, the Bears were rewarded a free kick off of a foul but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
Nearing the end of the first half, the Vikings’ continuous attacks pushed the Bears deep into their territory, setting a defensive tone as they struggled to maintain possession. A cross from the sideline led to Paly’s first goal of the game.
M-A responded with a cross of their own but couldn’t get the shot, resulting in a corner. With just under a minute left, the Bears pushed for goal but were unable to score, ending the half 1-0 for the Vikings.
The Bears approached the second half with a fresh mindset, ready to get back into the game. “We started the game in the formation that we’ve been practicing but it wasn’t getting us anywhere, so Coach Jason decided to switch into our more regular positions,” junior defender Lila Mahadevan said.
Back on the field, the Bears relentlessly attacked the Vikings. Only eight minutes into the half, senior midfielder Brooke Fehrenbach drove the ball down the line, sending it to sophomore forward Stella Hall who drove the ball into the net for M-A’s first goal.
With multiple strong saves from junior goalkeeper Elise Koo, the Bears’ backline stayed strong and the Vikings were unable to score. “We’ve focused on developing our defense and doing more long balls,” junior midfielder Sam Shirley said. “I think our passing and possession was a lot stronger and our ability to get the ball to the front line was better.”
The practice paid off, as M-A faced repeated chances to score. An impressive run down the line by junior midfielder Maddie Bradley ended in a shot just skimming the crossbar. The Bears continued this momentum, as Hall raced down the center of the field to the goal. A missed block from Paly’s goalkeeper set Thomas up for the perfect goal, pulling the Bears ahead 2-1 with 26 minutes left in the game.
After a series of uneventful possessions, the Vikings were back in control, leaving M-A’s defenders chasing them down the field. Koo was pulled out in a defensive effort, but Paly was able to sneak the ball past her, tying the score 2-2 with 19 minutes left.
The game became more physical as both teams fought to pull ahead. Strong saves from the defenders and goalkeepers from both teams kept the remaining minutes scoreless. Despite substitutions for M-A and a free kick for the Vikings, the final whistle blew on a 2-2 draw.
“I felt like we played well. Everyone was motivated, no matter how cold or tired we were,” Shirley said. “Even though it was a tie, scoring twice in one game really motivated us, because so far this season we haven’t scored that much. It was nice to get two goals up there.”
“Since it’s a very young and new team, the partnerships we have in important positions have great chemistry and connection and it’s only going to get better,” senior defender Addy McCombs said. “We really improved on getting shots on frame and being more aggressive.”
“I think our communication with each other is better because we’re getting more comfortable but we’ll have to keep working on it in the future,” junior midfielder Mae Kunihiro said.
The Bears will travel to face the Valley Christian Warriors on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
