The girls lost 0-2 on Friday May 18 to Oakland Tech, which was shocking to most, considering that they demolished them in pre-season 2-0.

“We didn’t play well, we were scattered,” senior midfielder Jen Hayashi said. “We plan on resting up for our next game. I was disappointed but I am still optimistic.”

Talia Coombes Senior Jennifer Hayashi beats a Burton defender to the rock in the Cardinals' triumphant 8-0 playoff win.

The Transbay Tournament continued against Oakland Tech on May 21 at Boxer stadium and May 24 at Oakland Tech, which was after press time.

In contrast, the championship game, a battle of the birds, on May 5 became the highlight for the girls’ soccer season. Feathers were ruffled, and the Lowell Cardinals rendered the Washington Eagles flightless with a crushing 7-0 victory at Boxer Stadium for the AAA championship match.

At Boxer Stadium, the girls noticed the immense size of the soccer field and felt a jolt of nervous venom rip through their veins. “We were all pretty tense about the game,” senior sweeper Cheryl Fong said. “We didn’t realize how large the field was. We were used to playing on shorter and narrower fields.”

However, once the match started, the team took charge of the game. Despite some line-up adjustments due to senior goalkeeper Katie Wheeler-Dubin’s recent ankle injury and a few players showing up late for the game, the Cardinals shook off their jitters admirably. As they scored goal after goal, they realized how unnecessary their nervousness was and mowed down the nonexistent Eagles’ defense to mark a decade of Lowell triumph — their tenth consecutive championship title.

“The game was a bit rocky at first because we did not start with our usual line-up,” Fong said. “But the problems began to smooth out as we got into the swing of the game.”

Talia Coombes Freshman phenom Shira Kogan launches the ball upfield past a late arriving Puma challenger.

After the championship game shut-out, the team eagerly looked forward to the much more challenging Transbay games. Practices remained steady to prepare the team for the game.

“We scrimmage a lot at practice now to help prepare for the Transbay game,” senior stopper Angelina Wedemeyer said. “We want to focus on keeping touches on the ball, and keeping control of the game.”

Fong believed that the team was well-prepared for the Transbay Tournament. “I think we just have to bring our A-game, and we will be able to put up a good fight for those games,” Fong said.

Wedemeyer agreed with Fong. “I have a lot of faith in the team,” she said. “Our movement off the ball is a lot better. We can win the Transbay matches.”

MVP

The Lowell’s pick for MVP this year is senior forward Erica Wheeler-Dubin for her outstanding skills on the field and leadership throughout the season. Her dominance was strongly felt, as she scored countless goals throughout the season, becoming the leading scorer. She also set up solid passes for teammates.

“She was never scared to take a shot or test her skills,” senior mid-fielder Hannah Edelsberg said. “She attempted everything she could to help the team. She was a great leader.”