In the final moments of the game, the timer ticked down to zero and cheers erupted within the bleachers. Lights flashed and flickered over the field full of winning Mustangs; with a score of 4-1, Munster defeated Hobart in the first girls’ soccer game of the season on Aug. 19.

“It’s very exciting. Especially because it’s our first game of the season, this is a big game,” senior Reese Holloway said. “This is part of our conference, and this is definitely a big one in winning conference. And it’s a good way to start off our senior season.”

Not only was this the first game of the season for girls’ soccer, it was a conference game. Conference games are more than just winning or losing: they determine a team’s position in their league.

“I wouldn’t say [conference] is* as important as the post-season and sectionals and stuff, but it’s an important title to have to show that we could be the top team in the area,” senior Maya Maldonado said.

In preparation for the season, the team has taken a multifaceted approach.

“[We’ve been] practicing everyday, watching film, also the conditioning in the summer really added onto being able to go through the whole 80 minutes,” junior Samantha Giba said.

Since the last season, a lot has changed. The team has welcomed new freshmen and said goodbye to graduated seniors, affecting not only the roster but also the culture

“I would say we still have the same energy,” senior Temi Oloade said. “Every year is just another opportunity to go farther than we did the last year.”