The Lady Cavaliers soccer team has recently defeated the Miami High Sting Rays to secure a spot in the district championships. They beat the Sting Rays in a convincing fashion, hosting a 4-0 shutout victory. The Lady Cavaliers were able to accomplish this despite their poor start to the season due to COVID-19. But before we highlight The Lady Cavaliers dominance, let’s recap how they got to that point.

“I am delighted that the Lady Cavaliers have won the district championship. I believe they will progress and possibly the finale,” sophomore Nathaniel Leiva said.

2020-2021 Lady Cavaliers Season
During the beginning of their 2020-2021 season, the Lady Cavaliers experienced a rough start due to the pandemic. As a result, games were usually rescheduled or canceled as a whole. At one point, the Lady Cavaliers had to be quarantined due to an opponent’s teammate testing positive for COVID-19, which caused them to miss two-weeks. Luckily, these two-weeks were the ones included during winter-break, so they did not miss a step when returning.

The junior varsity coach, Justin Aguirre, joined to help coach the varsity team because there was no junior varsity this year. Because of this, many players had prior experience with at least one of the coaches which led to a strong connection for the team overall. However, due to the chaotic year, it was difficult for the players to stay motivated. This caused the Lady Cavaliers to start unbalanced, losing their first two games of the season. To counter the unbalanced play style, the coaches would combine challenging practices with easy practices, which ensured that players would not be drained and would be continuously motivated.

“It is the best feeling winning districts with this team. I have so much love for the girls, for they really put in the work and dedication and it is the best feeling to see it pay off. We play regionals next Tuesday against South Dade. I know we can win and advance into the semis. It is just about how we decide to play that day, but I think we can get it done,” junior Mia Calderon said.

Game Recap:
During the remarkable game, the Lady Cavaliers entered with a positive and hopeful mindset as they have already beaten Miami High in the past and have adapted to their playstyle. Early in the game, senior Nina Montero began the attack by scoring and giving the Lady Cavaliers a 1-0 lead.

The Stingrays responded by keeping the Lady Cavaliers on lock. Yet, despite all of Miami High’s efforts, sophomore Mari Gutierrez, junior Mia Calderon and senior Chase Bagnall-Koger each scored a goal throughout the game to bring the final score to 4-0 victory. The Lady Cavaliers never lost momentum throughout the match which kept Miami High scoreless. In the end, The Lady Cavaliers would prove their dominance by repeating last year’s feat and winning the district championship for the second consecutive season in a row.

The Lady Cavaliers will have to play South Dade on Feb. 16 to advance to regionals. They plan to maintain regular practices, every day from 3:30 to 4 p.m. in order to stay ready. They are confident in their skills which they have built up throughout the season and are confident that they will bring it all home with another victory against South Dade.