As they walked out onto the field, cleats sinking into the dirt, the lady Seahawks of Sunlake soccer felt the tension. The weight of their school’s expectations were on their shoulders. The Coach was under pressure to deliver the ultimate victory, and Eastlake wasn’t going to make it easy. Last year when the Seahawks took on the Eagles it was a tough game, but Sunlake took the win. So this time they were back and ready for revenge. Charlotte Stryker is a freshman on the JV soccer team. She stated, “I needed to play hard and connect with my team because they had some really good players. We needed to not force a play [and pass around the team] so we could beat their fastest player and score.”

When Sunlake pulls off a 4-1 win, it’s more than just a “W” in the record books. For the girls, it’s the ultimate reward for their hard work, sweat, and sacrifice. Those long hours of practice, fitness training, and tactical preparation results in this moment of triumph that validates their efforts. Kaili Robbins is a Sophomore and plays for both JV and varsity. As one of the captains of her team, she said, “I am very proud of the team for taking the win against East Lake. It was a good and tough match up and we held strong throughout the game.”