The girls soccer team fought in a tight defensive battle against the Mountain View Spartans on Saturday evening, finishing 2-0 to advance to the CCS semifinals.
Mountain View opened with early possession, earning a corner kick just minutes into the game as M-A fought to settle in defensively. Despite the early pressure, the Bears held their ground and began working the ball up the field, attempting to reset their offense around the 27-minute mark. A pair of throw-ins from senior defender Ella Mohr helped M-A regroup, but inconsistent passing prevented them from building momentum for an attack.
“We expected and practiced for a lot of switching the field because they would overcommit, and it went according to game plan,” Mohr said.
Senior forward Elise Koo battled relentlessly through the Spartans’ midfield pressure, working to create space for the Bears’ attackers and slow Mountain View’s transition game. With 24 minutes remaining in the half, the Spartans nearly capitalized on a close opportunity that skimmed just wide of the post, keeping pressure on M-A’s defensive line.
Sophomore forward Cassidy Thomas had one of M-A’s best looks late in the half, slipping into open space off a quick buildup, but her shot drifted just off target. Mountain View continued to look for chances on goal, earning multiple corner kicks, but failed to convert on any. M-A came up with defensive pushback, largely thanks to sophomore goalkeeper Adeleine Soltys securing key saves to keep the game scoreless at halftime.
M-A came out with renewed urgency in the second half, pushing upfield and tightening their passing through the midfield. Still, Soltys remained the backbone of the Bears’ defense as she recorded several crucial saves to thwart any Spartan attacks.
Play shifted into a back-and-forth battle in the midfield, with both teams trading possessions and shots on goal. Junior midfielder Ella Badawi drew a foul while attempting to push the Bears forward, and freshman defender Grace Wagner later followed suit as M-A fought to maintain control during Mountain View’s press.
After sustained intensity and improved passing, M-A finally broke through. Thomas found the back of the net off an assist from sophomore midfielder Anika Hansen, giving the Bears a much-needed 1-0 lead late in the game, and shifting the momentum towards M-A.
With just 3:45 remaining, freshman midfielder Grace Badawi extended M-A’s advantage with a second goal, capitalizing on a loose ball near the net to seal the game. Soltys continued her standout performance through the final minutes, tallying additional saves to preserve the shutout as the Bears secured the 2-0 victory.
“I think that we were kind of nervous at first, but once we started, we did a really good job,” G. Badawi said.
“I think we really left our hearts out on the field and did our jobs,” Thomas said.
The Bears will travel to face the Salinas Cowboys on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. in the CCS semifinals.
