After beating Cupertino High School, Homestead High School and Los Altos High School by large margins, MVHS fell 3-2 to Saratoga High School on Oct. 4 in spite of goals from junior Jaya Kumari and senior Janaye Sakkas. It was the first loss of the regular season and now MVHS looks back on the game’s mistakes to come out stronger in the future.

Above all, MVHS’s biggest pitfall lied in their inability to get going in the first and early second half.

“We took quite a while to get ready,” junior captain Mallory Strom said. “We weren’t as intense as we normally are until the last bit of the game.” 

Throughout the first half, MVHS failed to maintain a fast tempo and keep possession. SHS capitalized on the slow start and scored three goals by the early second half. 

However, the tide began to turn for MVHS.

After a run down the right side and an unsuccessful shot by junior Allegra Ziegler-Hunts, a scramble for the ball ensued. Kumari finished the shot from the back post and scored a goal with five minutes left, giving MVHS one point for the scoreboard.

With thirty-six seconds left, Sakkas took a shot and scored from the back of the circle. MVHS’s intensity increased as they pushed for the tie. However, limited time ended the comeback with a MVHS loss at 3-2.

“The comeback at the end was a little frantic, but it was intense,” Sakkas said. “Knowing we can play up to that ability shows that we can start the next game at that intensity.”

Currently, Kumari is the leading scorer on the team, with five goals since the beginning of league play.

“[The goal] inspired me to score more,” Kumari said. “I wish we had ten more minutes in the half so we could have gotten one more in.”

The next home game is Wednesday, Oct. 15 against Los Gatos High School at 3:30 p.m.

Reported by Kalpana Gopalkrishnan and Malini Ramaiyer.