Girls

After winning their first game, girls’ soccer has struggled to keep a winning record due to the addition and subtraction of players from the team. Key players senior Hannah Nicks, sophomore Carolyn Hatch, sophomore Erika Young, sophomore Dylanne Crugnalle, and senior Bri Garcia have all suffered injuries forcing them to act as mere sideline spectators. Junior Katelyn Dickmann, sophomore Lauren Hart, sophomore Danielle Spriggs, junior Kelly McCormick, and junior Desiree Bramlette are all currently competing for their club teams and are prohibited from playing for Dana. Club sports competition cannot legally overlap with school sports competition, making it difficult for the team to come together when they are missing so many players. “We are still getting to know each other’s playing style,” said senior Hannah Nicks. On Dec. 12, the girls played back to back games against Ayala and Orange Lutheran. Although they fell behind Ayala by one goal and finished with a score of 2-3, they made up for the loss with a 1-0 victory against Orange Lutheran. Rattled by their previous loss, rudimentary mistakes plagued the team against Esperanza on Dec. 8. The back and forth struggle of miscommunication and poor passing resulted in the 0-2 loss. On Dec. 2, in a game played against Beckman, the girls missed several scoring opportunities early in the game, and the opposition quickly struck back with a goal. From that point on, the bulk of the battle was fought in Dolphin territory, leading to a demoralizing 0-3 loss for the girls. The team were excited to start the season, and they confidently defeated Newport Harbor 2-0 on Dec. 1 with one goal in each half of the game kicked by sophomre Lindsay Gaines and senior Chelsea Brigham respectively. Despite the negative results of the season so far, the girls have a lot of talent individually. “We just need to put the ball in the net,” Chelsea Brigham commented. The team played yesterday against Santa Margarita as well, but the score was not available by press time.

Boys

Having won three of their first six games, boys’ soccer is showing promise for the rest of their season. They ended the first tournament of the year, the Aliso Tournament, with a 3-2 record. Their most recent tournament in Irvine, along with the following Aliso Cup Tournament, were statistically disapointing, but held a high note as a “learning experience” for the boys said Coach Compeon. “We’re a young team and... are still finding the chemistry that is our team.” The boys finished the Dec. 5 Aliso Tournament with a winning record despite losing to Century 4-1. The boys then dominated Montebello in a 4-2 victory. The Dolphins faced Los Alamitos on Dec. 4, losing by two goals with a score of 1-3. Player communication hindered their abillity to beat their formidable adversaries. Boosted from their first win, the boys kept the momentum going into game two on Dec. 2, defeating Alta Loma 2- 1. To open the season, the boys stomped Laguna Beach High 4-0 in Spencer Stadium. They got ahead early in the game and never looked back. The boys have been entering the field ready to play, with the intensity high enough to triumph, “But [we’re] struggling with getting that first goal,” critiques junior Michael Paul. As with the girls’ team, it is simply a matter of playing cohesively at all times. The coaching staff has been working hard to keep team morale up, even in the face of losses. Despite their preseason record thus far, the team has a “bright outlook” and a plethora of “rising stars” to carry the team through towards victory. League play does not begin until after the Winter Break, giving the players just enough time to build their solidarity.