Marshall Fundamental Girls Soccer Team Goes Undefeated in the Mission Valley League

Marshall Fundamental School Girls Soccer begin CIF Playoffs.

With the regular season-ending and CIF tournaments underway, all eyes are on the Marshall Fundamental girls soccer team, who went undefeated (12-0) and have come out in first place in the Mission Valley League.

Many of the players have been teammates for two or more seasons, as shown by their strong bond and endless support of one another. Their coach, Erika Prado, on the other hand, has just joined the Marshall staff this year. Even so, the relationship she has created between herself and the players is as if they have been playing together for years.

“I know how high school can be very skill-intense, especially on club teams, and I didn’t want to give that vibe,” said Coach Prado, when asked how she made such a strong connection with her players. “I told them my story, made myself personable, and I said there was a lot that they still had to prove. But I want them to let go and be loose while still being disciplined.”

At first glance, Prado’s coaching style is that of any high school coach. She wants her team to go far and to give their all in every game, and she shows that in her sideline instruction, enthusiastic support, and strategic planning for every game.

However, there are a few tactics and recurring plays throughout these games that an experienced coach, player, or fan might note as a bit unorthodox. The most notable of these involves goalkeeper Kaiya Jota, a sophomore on the team.

Jota has been on Marshall’s varsity team since her freshman year. She has very few saves on her record but she has let in even fewer goals, as defenders Julia Castro, Sara Hernandez, Sammy Larios, and Kristina Snowden manage to clear the ball nearly every time it makes it to their side.

Prado’s strategy, which she shared with Jota at the beginning of the season, is called a “reset”. Oftentimes, when a goalkeeper gets a hold of the ball, they will drop-kick it over halfway across the field to clear it from their goal area. Drop-kicks get the ball far, but they are incredibly difficult to control. Prado noted that there is about a fifty-fifty chance that the ball will remain in our possession when it is drop-kicked.

As important as it is to clear the ball, Prado believes it is far more crucial to remain in possession of it. The reset tactic involves one of Jota’s teammates passing the ball back to her when there is too much pressure as their opponents are nearing the goal. Jota controls the ball, keeping it at her feet, until she finds an opening to pass to a teammate, even if that teammate is less than twenty feet in front of her.

“The game is played with all players passing, including the goalie…” said Prado. “When the ball is being played back to her, it’s to continue the flow, to help keep our possession and to not panic. It shows we can be under control and get out of traffic using our goalie.”

Though this reasoning may seem like common sense, most coaches continue to have their goalies clear the ball as far as possible when they make a save. This is because a drop-kick is considered the “safe” option for a goalkeeper — the farther away the ball is from the goal, the less likely they will score. If a goalie attempts to reset and loses possession of the ball, it is far more likely that they will be scored on. But the entirety of Marshall’s soccer staff has all of their faith in Jota, making this unique play the most effective tactic for her to execute.

“Goalies show confidence on the field,” said JV coach Eddie Maya. “And we have full confidence in Kaiya that she knows when and where to pass the ball. The reason that we can do this is because she’s good, and another goalie without her skill might not be able to handle it.”

Come see Marshall girls’ soccer play their first CIF game this Saturday, February 12th at 3:00 p.m. on their home turf at Marshall Fundamental.

Katherine Jennings is a Marshall Fundamental Senior. She is an AP Capstone Diploma Candidate and an AP Scholar with Distinction. She is in the National Honor Society, the Drama Club, and is the Girls Soccer Manager. Marshall Fundamental serves students in grades 6th through 12th. High School Athletics has 16 sports and 26 sports teams and is home to the Academy for Creative Industries.

Principal, Ms. Lori Touloumian – Touloumian.Lori@pusd.us. For more information:kealing.felita@pusd.us — www.pusd.us/Marshall