The girls’ soccer team improved their record to 9-1 as they defeated the Churchill Bulldogs (5-4-1) 3-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 11. It was the squad’s senior night as it was their final home game before the beginning of the playoffs.

The team celebrated the seniors on the field prior to the start of the game and posters with the seniors’ names and faces were at the front of the stands.

“I was relieved because it was a hard game and I really wanted to win on senior night. It’s not anything too special, but as a senior class we definitely all wanted to win… [since it] was going to be our last home game before playoffs,” senior midfielder/defender Alyette Fialon said.

The first half was a defensive battle as neither offense was able to get anything going and both defenses didn’t allow a goal.

“It wasn’t our best performance, but it was good to keep a clean sheet and keep it locked down defensively. It was important that we came out even harder and stronger in the second half than in the first half to get those goals,” sophomore midfielder/forward Maya Panicker said.

Unlike the first half, offensive firepower lit up the scoreboard in the second half with senior captain and midfielder Vivian Vendt, senior captain and midfielder/forward Aranda Hurge and junior midfielder/forward Irene Sánchez Burgueño all scoring goals. The Bulldogs were also able to score in the last five minutes of the game on what looked like a defensive miscue by the Wildcats.

“I think there was just some miscommunication on that play and I don’t think anything like that is going to happen again. It is the only time that has happened this year,” Panicker said.

This week the Cats will play an away game against the Wheaton Knights (5-5) Monday, Oct. 17 at 5:15 pm. Later in the week, they will travel to play their final regular season game against the Blair Blazers (9-1) on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7:15 p.m.

“We’re trying to take it one game at a time. We all have a lot of confidence in our team. We all have a lot of belief, but we have two games left this week that we have to win before playoffs to make sure we have home-field advantage and we have the seeding that we want, so we just have to focus on those two games and we’ll get to playoffs when we get there,” junior midfielder/defender Marina Thorn said.