Paloma Valley Girls Soccer Team Ready for Semifinals

Goalkeeper Christina Rodriguez has been a big part of the Paloma Valley girls soccer team's success this season.

After defeating Bloomington High last Thursday, the Paloma Valley High School girls soccer team is gearing up for its CIF semifinal playoff game, which take place against Maranatha High at home on Tuesday at 5 p.m. 

The lady Wildcats went 9-0-1 this season in league and placed first in the Sunbelt League. They secured this top spot after defeating Temescal Canyon in the final game of the season.

“If we didn’t win, we wouldn’t have won league,” said senior Melody Gonzalez. “Winning was a really big deal, and we were losing the first half 1-0, and we came back really strong second half and just ended up winning.”

Although their record may suggest so, the Wildcats' season was anything but perfect. The team had to overcome the obstacles of adversity and injured players, but Wildcats head coach Marie Dillon said that facing these hardships has only made the team stronger.

“Maybe on the outside looking in you’re like, ‘What a perfect season,’ but it’s not even close to perfect,” said Dillon. “I think that’s what makes it so beautiful, that we just keep fighting back. [We’re] just fighters.”

The Wildcats have an overall record of 13-7-4, but this record does not do them justice, either. Paloma Valley is in Division 6, but the Wildcats faced Division 1 and 2 opponents during the preseason in order to test themselves and strengthen their own game.

“We’re not trying to have this amazing record preseason,” said Dillon. “We just want to get tested by the best teams and no matter what… [the girls] would just come back to practice the next day ready to work.”

Much of the Wildcats’ success can be credited to the leadership and work ethic shown by the seven seniors on the team. Dillon said that the older girls have been great role models to the younger players coming into the program, and senior Vanessa Banuelos agrees. 

“I think having that many seniors, it really helps with setting good example for the underclassmen,” said Banuelos. “The way that we push them to try to be better, it really helps us become better for this season and score goals for winning games.”

Paloma Valley’s semifinal matchup on Tuesday will not be an easy one, as Maranatha also went undefeated this season with a record of 7-0-1 in league. The Wildcats, however, are preparing as they always do and are trying not to focus on the high stakes that the game holds.

“We treat every game, every opponent the same, and there’s nothing really different that we’re doing,” said Dillon. “We’re taking it one practice, one play at a time. We know it’s a big game, but we’re just preparing the same way.”

“I think we’re a very hardworking, dedicated team, and that can’t be coached,” said Banuelos. “The way we play for each other and the way we carry ourselves and keep up our good reputation by working hard and staying at it… I think that we do a good job at working hard and that’s how we’ve gotten so much success out of this season.”

Forward Melody Gonzalez is part of the Wildcats' talented offense.