Patriots play it forward

Viewpoint girls in the hunt for league championship



ONE GOAL IN MIND—Viewpoint’s Briar Blake, right, goes one-on-one with Santa Clarita Christian goalkeeper Jessie Rodriguez during a Jan. 19 match at VHS. The Patriots prevailed, 5-0.

ONE GOAL IN MIND—Viewpoint’s Briar Blake, right, goes one-on-one with Santa Clarita Christian goalkeeper Jessie Rodriguez during a Jan. 19 match at VHS. The Patriots prevailed, 5-0.

When the pressure’s on, the Viewpoint High girls’ soccer team kicks it up a notch.

At the Ontario Christian tournament during winter break, the Patriots dressed only a dozen healthy players. Head coach Travis Kikugawa considered pulling his team out of the event.

Instead of packing things up, Viewpoint gritted it out, going 2-2 in four matches over three days, including an emotional 1-0 victory against Colony.

“That win really set the tone,” Kikugawa said. “ That really brought them together.”

Ranked No. 3 in the CIFSouthern Section Division 7 coaches’ poll, the Patriots are 10- 3- 3 overall and 3- 0 in the Liberty League.

They haven’t lost in 2012.

In his 12th season roaming the sidelines, Kikugawa said this is a special team.

“They have tremendous energy,” he said. “They genuinely enjoy coming out training and competing as much for each other and the team as a whole.”

During Tuesday’s practice, the Viewpoint girls scrimmaged the Viewpoint junior varsity boys.

The ladies plan a session with the varsity boys soon.

“This is how we get better,” Kikugawa said. “Our girls love it.”

The Patriots are technically sound on the pitch, maintaining possession with crisp passes.

Meg de Recat is a force at goalkeeper. The junior standout started at midfield as a freshman before moving to the cage.

She’s kept the Patriots in big games all season.

“We work together as a family,” de Recat said. “We work well together.”

The goalie, who’s considering playing Division III soccer, said she relishes the challenging aspects of her position.

“There’s a lot of pressure to succeed,” de Recat said. “It’s emotionally taxing, but it’s worth it in the end. You just do what you know best, and you can’t let emotions get in the way.”

Nicki Maslan, a senior captain and midfielder, is a fierce competitor.

“We play hard every game,” said Maslan, who will run cross country at Claremont McKenna College.

“I like that about the team.”

Maslan has also competed for Viewpoint swim and track teams.

Stella Carnegie, a senior captain and stopper, has played a multitude of positions this season, from forward to defense.

The Patriots didn’t field the same starting lineup during the preseason because of injuries and illness.

“We say, ‘No A. No B. No problem.’ That became our preseason mantra,” said Carnegie, a three-sport standout who also swims and plays volleyball.

“I’m really looking forward to the playoffs,” Carnegie said. “We’ll play harder teams. The challenge makes our team better.”

Hayley Schneider, a senior captain and forward/midfielder, has suited up for three seasons with the Patriots.

The senior said she was “burned out” as a sophomore, so she played basketball that winter.

“ I missed ( soccer),” said Schneider, who also plays tennis. “The program here is great. . . .

“It’s by far one of the most special things about Viewpoint. We get a chance to bond and get to know each other and compete.”

Schneider, who enjoys sculpture and is active in the Founders’ Club and the Community Out- Reach for Everyone on campus, said every player offers a unique skill to the pitch.

“We work so well together,” Schneider said. “Each of us brings something different. We all have something different to offer.”

Alexa Feuerman, a junior midfielder, is a two-time league MVP who earned a perfect SAT score.

Feuerman controls the flow of the game.

Rachel Villeneuve, a sophomore midfielder, is one of the squad’s leading scorers.

Riley Waldman is a consistent, hardworking sophomore defender. Briar Blake and Laney Raynr are dangerous forwards.

Elizabeth Sheffield, Jennifer Kim, Madison Stine, Jen Cohen, Diane Hoffman, Lisa Consiglio, Aashna Dev and Emma Antall also contribute. Katie Fox is an assistant coach.

Viewpoint is ready for the final stretch of the season, including a 2:45 p.m. road outing today at New Community Jewish.

The pressure’s going up. The Patriots are ready.

“We need to tighten up in all phases,” Kikugawa said.

“We need to play with a little more urgency and physically get ready for the grind.”


TOTAL CONTROL— Patriot forward Laney Raynr, left, plays a little keep-away with the ball.

TOTAL CONTROL— Patriot forward Laney Raynr, left, plays a little keep-away with the ball.

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