A final school year. A final season. A final game not only of the season, but of their high school careers. Aiming to step up and play with maximum effort against a tough component, senior night approached. Unfaltering motivation, teamwork and excellent possession of the ball kept the Matadors determined throughout the game.
Despite Los Altos HS being a challenging opponent, MVHS was able to stay motivated throughout the game. The main thing that stood out during the game was consistent possession of the ball, which led to exceptional passes and flexibility with obtaining the ball.
“We knew definitely we had a difficult game, they’re one of the best teams in the league,” senior Anitra Varhadkar said. “We knew that because it was senior night, you’re kind [of] hyped up a bit, [so] we knew it was difficult, but as long as we put everything out there, we would be fine.”
Varsity girls soccer coach Jose Vargas discussed the team’s specific plan, which was to switch around the field, resulting in more space and time of possession with the ball.
“[We] knew that they’re big, they’re really physical, and they got a lot of speed. [So] our game plan was to try to switch the field more, [so] we can force them to move more and give us a little more time to be able to move the ball forward,” Vargas said.
Even with a clear goal in mind, the Matadors still lacked slight efficiency with the ball. “They were winning a lot of the balls in the air,” senior Richa Israni said, “we could have been pressing those a lot more.”
Regardless, Matadors still held pride and passion for their senior night, despite the loss against LAHS of 3-0, with LAHS in the lead.
“We all had passion, we were all like really passionate about our last game, and then some mistakes caused us a loss,” Israni said.
After the time the game was over, the seniors talked about their favorite memories and lasting thoughts about their final game.
“My favorite moment was our team huddle before the game, one of the girls was sharing memories with all of us and it was just really cute and sentimental,” Israni said.
A night commemorated by the seniors and a game that concluded a year’s worth of effort, a few final words from the coach regarded his experience with the team during their final night.
“When you’re playing sports, soccer, and you’re working yourself towards the last season, you want that to be the last season that you’ve ever played,” Vargas said. “I just wanted them to put everything that they’ve learned out on the field and really step up, and tonight I think they really displayed that.”
