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Girls soccer: MVHS falls to WHS on Senior Night Matadors lose 1-4 to WHS in the last home game of the season

Written by Kamyar Moradi and Anish Vasudevan.

Strong wind gusts roared as the seniors from the girls varsity soccer team took to the field for the last time for their senior night game against Wilcox HS. There were no “fair-weather” fans in attendance as many came bearing posters for the senior girls. Seniors Samantha Chan, Heather Migdal, Kiran Gomatam and Mythili Ketavarapu each received cheers as they were honored that night.

As soon as the game started, MVHS kicked the ball out of bounds in order to sub out senior Kiran Gomatam from the game. Due to injury, she was not able to participate but was allowed to start for the first play of the game.

“For me it was unfortunate because I had a concussion, and unlike other injuries there is nothing you can really do about it except rest,” Gomatam said. “So I just spent the game on the bench screaming and cheering on the other players.”

MVHS started off by controlling possession while having the wind at their backs. With each tackle and defensive stand, the MVHS let their team know that their efforts were noticed. Fans heckled WHS players and encouraged MVHS to continue to apply the pressure defensively. Just before halftime, the Matadors broke through the WHS defense with a series of precise passes, and sophomore Samiksha Rao put the ball in the back of the net, giving MVHS a 1-0 lead.

When the second half began, Chan and Migdal said one of the biggest deciding factors for the outcome of the game was the wind.

“When [wind] was going against us, it was moving the ball in weird directions,” Chan said.

As a goalie, Migdal made some crucial saves to keep the score close, but she described her specific troubles with the wind.

“They're definitely points I was reading the ball completely wrong because it was just going so much faster with the wind,” Migdal said.

As the second half progressed, WHS proceeded to score four unanswered goals and eventually finished the game with a 1-4 win over MVHS. Although the team had hoped for a better result, senior Mythili Ketavarapu was still happy with how the season turned out.

“We were not necessarily showing that we wanted it more on the field but that’s just sometimes how games go,” Ketavarapu said. “But that doesn't change the fact that it was a solid senior night and the celebration was still great.”

Senior Kiran Gomatam embraces fellow teammate during the senior night ceremony before their matchup against WHS. Gomatam was unable to play in the game because of a concussion but still played a major part in the game. "It was unfortunate because I had a concussion and unlike other injuries there is nothing you can really do about it except rest," Gomatam said. "I just spent the game on the bench screaming and cheering for the other players which was fun." Photo by Anish Vasudevan.

Sophomore Hannah Foster tries to regain control of the ball against a WHS player. MVHS was able to succeed in the first half with this aggressive play, but lost their energy in the second half. Photo by Anish Vasudevan.

Senior Heather Migdal makes her way down the middle of the field during the senior night ceremony. She is accompanied by her mother, father and brother. Photo by Anish Vasudevan.

Sophomore Samiksha Rao maneuvers around WHS players trying to pass the ball to a teammate. Rao scored the only goal for MVHS in the game near the end of the first half. Photo by Anish Vasudevan.

Senior Samantha Chan walks down the field accompanied by her family members. On next season without the the team Chan said, "I feel like high school soccer, it's a lot more about the friendships that you make, and more about team building. I know I did that. I think we have a lot better chemistry now." Photo by Anish Vasudevan.

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