Quick start for Pacifica Christian girls’ soccer

The Pacifica Christian High girls’ soccer team is in its first varsity season, even if the team’s December results would say otherwise.

Coach Brandon Gonzalez’s Tritons head into 2017 with a 7-1 record. They won their first seven games of the season before losing at Palm Springs, 2-0, on Dec. 19.

Palm Springs is ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division 7, which is the same division in which Pacifica Christian competes.

“The field was kind of small, which doesn’t really play to our strength,” said Gonzalez, who also serves as the Pacifica Christian athletic director. “We like to get the balls wide, but it was a good game. It’s a good loss for us to have at this point of the year.”

At this point of the year, the Tritons are clicking despite being in just their second year of existence. Last year, the girls’ soccer team played a frosh-soph/junior varsity schedule, going 10-1-4. This year, they’re at the varsity level as a freelance school. The Tritons, who have no seniors on the squad, practice and play their home games at Vanguard University.

“If we finish the year with at least 16 wins and four losses, we’re guaranteed to receive a postseason spot,” Gonzalez said. “You have to win at least 80% of your varsity schedule, which is 20 games. For freelance schools, that’s the postseason rules. That’s our goal, and we’re almost halfway there.”

Forward Isabel Hadley leads the team with nine goals and is one of just two junior starters, along with team captain Olivia Garcia, a midfielder.

Center midfielder/defender Maddy Alaluf and wing player Sadie Hill are also team captains for Pacifica Christian. Hill leads the team in assists with 10, Gonzalez said.

“The girls have worked extremely hard,” Gonzalez said. “The returners are bought in to what we’re trying to do, and I think that’s helped with all the new freshmen and the few transfers that have come in. What we’re trying to do here is build a competitive soccer program, but also have a lot of fun along the way. I thought we’d win a handful of games, be about .500 or maybe a little better. But our girls have played well.”

One of the best wins of the season so far for the Tritons was a 3-0 win against Whittier Christian, which began the season on the Division 7 preseason watch list. And Gonzalez said the loss at Palm Springs may not have been a bad thing.

“I think the girls have a lot of confidence,” he said. “They were nervous the first couple of games, but to see that, ‘Hey, we’re actually not bad, we’re pretty good,’ that’s been fun and exciting. I think the loss kind of rocked their world, in the sense of, ‘Hey, we’re not perfect, teams can beat us if we don’t show up to play.’ I think a lot of growth will come from that.”

Pacifica Christian returns to action Tuesday at Gardena Serra. An anticipated game will be Jan. 30 against Sage Hill, at Vanguard at 3 p.m.

“That’s our next big game, kind of a local rivalry game,” Gonzalez said.