The Skyline women’s soccer team did not make the playoffs, but they had a productive 2018 season; their final record was 8-9-2 that came with five conference wins.

The Trojans did get an opportunity to even out their record in the final game of the season against Las Positas due to the recent poor air quality. The game was ruled a no contest after two postponements.

Skyline was coming off a huge home win on Nov. 6 against De Anza College, and the team was primed to give the 13-3 Los Positas Hawks a run for their money.

“I was looking forward to the last game against Las Positas,” first year player, Alyssa Soto said in a phone interview. ”We definitely could have made it to the playoffs, but it came to a point where we depended on other teams to win or lose to get us into the playoffs.”

Las Positas finished the regular season with a 7-2-2 conference record and one place higher than Skyline in the conference standings. A win for Skyline could have put them in a position for a playoff berth.

According to the California Community College Athletic Association Women’s soccer rankings, the Coast-North conference had two state-ranked teams this season: San Francisco City College tied for 18th with Golden West Community College, and Las Positas tied for eighth with San Joaquin Delta College.

The high level of competition in Skyline’s division is a testament to the progressive outcome of their season. The Trojans had three shutout victories throughout the season and a number of close losses.

“I think we were more connected as a team; last year we were more separated, there was more cliques,” Jaclyn Aquino, the second year center defender said about how the team has improved. “This year I felt like we were more as a family which is why I feel we did better on the field.”

Skyline finished with a better conference and overall record by a margin of two wins. The Trojans’ overall record in 2017 was 6-8-6.

“It took a while for our team chemistry to click because some of us have not played with one another before so it took a while,” Soto said.“We played well especially towards the end when we started to get to know each other. The freshman are excited to try to make the playoffs next season.”

With only three wins when playing away this season, the Trojans will have to improve their performance when traveling to opponents’ fields if they are going to make it into the postseason.

Eleven of the 19 women on Skyline’s roster were first year players, so the team is set up to continue improving next season and not repeat the mistakes that were made.

The thing center midfielder Karla Romero-Lopez wants carried over into next season is work ethic.

Even though she will no longer be playing for the team, Romero-Lopez says, “Of course I want the freshmen now to work hard, some of them want to go to four years just like us. So take it seriously because it does go by fast.”

Next season, the women who plan on playing their second season will take over as leaders of the team and will inherit a strong foundation to further the team’s improvement.