The Stratford Girls JV Soccer Team prepared for their 2024-2025 season in style with the girls together during the week for a team dinner and their secret Santa gift exchange. Lots of laughs and giggles could be heard far and wide as the team bonding began.

The first game of the season was our annual game against Pearland High School. This game is also where we do our traditional toy drive event. The JV and Varsity teams for both schools pitch in together by bringing an unwrapped toy as an entry ticket to the game. Once both games are over, all the toys donated are gathered and delivered to Lily’s Toy Box.

The first game of the season brought weather that was no surprise. Cooler temps and misty rain seems to be the theme for pre-season every year, and this year was no different. The weather did not stop our girls as they put on a dominant performance over the visiting Lady Oilers. For the first 10 minutes, our girls attacked from all angles, resulting in multiple shots on goal that were either saved or deflected for corners. You could tell the girls were figuring out how to play with each other and a goal was imminent. Finally, at the 24-minute mark, we saw great pressure from Freshman Sophia Denson on the Oiler defenders. This resulted in the defender making a bad pass up the middle right to Freshman Emmie Muras, who made a great first touch and rocketed it into the upper part of the goal for the Spartans' first goal of the game and year. SHS 1 - PHS 0. About two minutes later, the defender tried to pass the ball across to another defender again but once again, SHS Junior Bella Saavedra beat her to the ball. She took a quick touch past the defender to create a one-on-one that she nicely finished for her first goal of the season. SHS 2 - PHS 0. The girls took the next five minutes to work the ball around. Eventually, the ball was thrown into Muras, who found Sophomore Ella Bui in the middle of the field. Bui struck a beautiful one-touch ball that cleared the goalie's head for the Spartans' third goal of the game and her first of the season. SHS 3 - PHS 0.

The second half was a continuation of things from the first half. Lots of ball movement, communication, and team work. The girls seemed to connect more and more the longer the game went on. Five minutes in to the half the girls saw their first chance on goal. Freshman Annie Katterhenry played a nice through-ball to Sophomore Trysta Truong, who beat a player to go one-on-one with the goalie. Unfortunately, the goalie made a fabulous save. After 10 minutes of work, movement, and possession, Freshman Mia Leonoras won the ball in the back and laid it to Muras, who turned and outran her player. Muras played a nice through-ball to Denson, who battled through two defenders to score our 4th goal of the game and her first of the season. SHS 4 - PHS 0. The girls built on that and two minutes later, there was a nice through-ball played out wide to Troung. She sent a beautiful cross into the box, where Saavedra got a body on it, but the goalie made a great save. Troung chased it down and pulled it back, then laid it to Freshman Macy Sancez, who took a fabulous shot from 35 yards out, but somehow the goalie was able to punch it over the goal, giving us a corner. With about 8 minutes left, Freshman Elise Bernadac won the ball in the back. She played a through-ball into Bui, who turned and found Sophomore Lily Terveen on the opposite side. Terveen laid it back to Sophomore Amrylin Duhon, who found Bui back in the middle. Bui turned and found Denson, who beat her player and then laid it back to Bui again, who sent it forward to Saavedra. Saavedra sent the ball forward to the back side where it found Troung. This time Troung out-hustled and overpowered their defense to score our final goal of the game and her first of the season. Final score: SHS 5 - PHS -0.

Upcoming Games: Tuesday, December 17th at Cy Ranch and Thursday, December 19th at Katy Jordan. Both games are at 5:30 pm. Come out and support your Lady Spartans!