On Feb. 18, the SCHS girls varsity soccer team played in the first round of the Division II Central Coast Section playoffs. The Santa Clara Bruins put up a fight against Sacred Heart Preparatory’s Gators in a close game, but lost 0-2.

Within the first 30 seconds of the first half, the Gators scored a point. SCHS’s varsity girls soccer goalie senior Hanna Carkner showed off her blocking skills, stopping many Gators from scoring. There were a few close goals, but Carkner managed to block almost all of them. 

The Bruins had not opposed Sacred Heart this season, which made some feel uneasy and nervous. 

“We had never played Sacred Heart before, so I wasn’t sure how the team played, what key players they had or how difficult of a team they were,” senior and left forward Emma Coelho said. “It made matters a little worse for me.”

Neither team scored following the early shot from Sacred Heart. The Gators were ahead by one point at the end of the first half. 

Freshman Fiona McCormick, an attacking midfielder, stealthily weaved through Sacred Heart Preparatory’s players to keep the ball in possession and block any scoring attempts. 

“During the CCS game in the second half, we were down 1-0 and had a ton of shots,” McCormick said. “We were being creative and playing with each other, which I believe we lacked in the first half.” 

Many players had standout moments, such as freshman midfielder Alicia Olguin’s many interceptions at any opportunity she got. 

The Gators showed strength in fights for control over the ball, but the Bruins never backed down and stayed persistent with similar aggression.

“What stood out is what we wanted: we wanted to win,” Coelho said. “The passion and love for the sport was shown from everyone. I’m proud that I was able to be called a captain and be a leader and role model for my team.”

The Bruins trailed after the Gators and made many attempts to tie the score. The game ended in a Bruin loss of 0-2, wrapping up the girls’ season. 

Despite the loss, many of the girls varsity soccer players had not ever made it to the CCS playoffs. Junior and left back Katie Luong reflects on the success of the Bruin season. 

“I’m most proud of the team for being able to make CCS and I feel like we all bonded really well over the season,” Luong said.