Mesa women’s soccer team has done it again and won their second back-to-back conference title since 2003 and 2004. They have also received awards as athletes and also academic achievers. Their specialties include speed and offense. With these key attributes, they managed to pull of an extraordinary 8-0 undefeated record in conference play.
Their 19-player roster includes a good amount of freshmen talent and returning players that helped score a total of 43 goals this season. The overall record last year was 13-2-5. However, this year, the team and coaches were dedicated to pursuing a better record despite losing big contributors such as Vanja Riesto, who was one of the top players last year. She ended the season with 12 points.
Head coach Todd Curran has been named coach of the year twice from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 2000 and 2008. Also, he has five Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championships under his belt. Out of the 16 seasons he has coached at Mesa so far, he has taken the Olympians to the Southern California Regional Playoffs 12 times and reached the regional finals five times.
One player, Itza Caro, was recognized as defender of the year within their conference. Also, she recorded seven points and three goals last year, while also starting 18 out of the 20 games played. This year she recorded three goals and 1 assist to help the Olympians on their journey to victory.
In addition to Caro, another talented player is sophomore forward Andrea Hernandez who recorded 3 goals this season and ended their last game of 2014 with 7 points.
Their undefeated season was the result of their mindset to play every game as if it were their last.
“There was a turning point in the season, I wouldn’t say we were selfish but we weren’t looking to make the extra pass, looking to do one more thing to do better and when we hit conference we started to be so unselfish with the ball and people started trusting each other which allowed the team chemistry to build,” Curran said.
As much as these young women strive on the field, they also strive in the classroom. Four players last year were awarded by the California Community College Soccer Coaches Association,
With tons of new talent from all across California and prestigious coaches to guide them, these girls plan on continuing to be a force to be reckoned with for the next couple seasons.