The Carlmont girls varsity soccer team crushed Woodside with a 6-0 win, destroying Woodside’s undefeated title.
Right off the bat, Carlmont set the pace for the game as Sam Phan, a senior, scored a goal within minutes of the match’s start. Woodside put up a strong fight, taking the ball from Carlmont many times. However, throughout the first half, Woodside was unable to score a goal and tie up the match.
Carlmont’s success would continue for the entirety of the game.
During the second half, Carlmont widened the gap even further, scoring five more goals.
Woodside’s flow and spirit seemed to visibly diminish as Carlmont continued to score goals. The ball was taken less and less, and although they put up a strong effort, they weren’t able to keep the ball long enough for any chance to win or even score.
“It felt very rewarding that we began to possess the ball more and more throughout the game. We started to find our rhythm and played for each other, which is why so many different people were able to score,” said Maddie Cunningham, a sophomore.
Carlmont’s goals were scored by a variety of players: Cunningham, Maya Blodgett, Kyla Orthobandt, Phan, and Sabrina Kelley. The only player to score more than once was Phan.
This game played out very differently from the previous match against Carlmont and Woodside, in which Woodside won 2-1. This was a leading factor as to why this game was rewarding for Carlmont to play well in and win.
“Woodside beat us last time, so it was really rewarding to get them back,” said John Wilkinson, the team’s head coach.
The team’s rhythm and confidence have been shining and can be seen in their recent performance in games and their wins.
“We’re on a roll. 19 goals in the last few games, and we haven’t allowed [the other teams to score] one. The girls are playing with confidence,” Wilkinson said.
Confidence and hope are what allowed Carlmont to play to their best ability — not only against Woodside, but the other teams they’ve played recently as well. Carlmont’s hard work and focus overcame any sense of doubt they had going into a game against such a worthy opponent.
“It felt really good because the whole team has been working really hard for every game. It feels really good for all of our hard work to pay off, and winning 6-0 made it even better,” said Kaylee Dartnell, a sophomore.
Although Woodside still holds first place, this win opened the door for Carlmont and other teams to rise up the ranks and possibly pass Woodside’s strong standing.
