Omar Iakub is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Notre Dame Prep High School for AZPreps365.com

 

Notre Dame Prep girls soccer team posted a perfect regular season and now takes aim at a perfect ending.

The No. 2 seeded Saints closed out their 11-0 regular season by capturing the West Valley region title on Friday night. They open the playoffs Wednesday against the Cactus Cobras.

On the season, the Saints won six games a margin of eight goals and only allowed four total goals.

The girls soccer team has won three state championships (2008,2005,2016). The last time the Saints were undefeated in the regular season was in 2018. With a 12-0 record heading into the playoffs, the girls made it to the state championship where they lost to Chaparral in overtime.

Last year, the Saints lost to the eventual state champion Casteel in the semifinals. After returning 13 players this year, the Saints are eager for another crack at the championship.

Of the 13 players returning this season, 10 are juniors and only three seniors.

The Saints seniors, Maya Ford, Elsa Davis, Isabella De Avila, are the captains of the team and are determined to end their high school careers as champions.

“All of us are super motivated after last year to really put our best foot forward and to win state this year. The coaches have been making us work hard and play for everything we have.” Ford said.

Most of the juniors played last year in the playoffs and almost all of the players are club players.

To win the title, first year head coach Tracy Addison believes the team must approach this the same way it has all season.

“We take the field and we play our game, our style and work on controlling the match as best as we can,” said Addison. “Yes this season is different (talking about pandemic). But these are the things we all have to work around and deal with if we want to achieve the goal we set for ourselves which is state.”

Davis and De Avila said the teams culture has been all about facing and overcoming challenges this year.

“With everything our team has been through, with COVID and working together,” said Davis. “I think that were more equipped to be a better team for this championship run.”

“Overall, we are very united and have the same outlook at our playing style,” said De Avila.

The girls are focused on coming together and playing in unity.

“Communication is a big part of that, we have to be playing for one another as one team rather than focusing on individual goals,” said Ford.

For Addison, if the team continues to play as it has been all year, it will taste victory.

“It doesn’t matter who our opponent is, it’s a new game every time. We need to do our job and handle our business and we’ll be triumphed in the end.”