Lancers have lofty goals
Girls' soccer squad expects to compete for a CIF-SS title
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers THE STOPPER- Thousand Oaks High junior goalkeeper Amanda Albi swats the ball away during Tuesday's practice.

The Thousand Oaks High girls' soccer team knows expectations are high this season. Being ranked fourth in the CIFSouthern Section preseason coaches' poll made them targets.

The Lancers know all of this, but they don't care. They're just focused on the task at hand.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves," Thousand Oaks head coach Geoff Raives said. "I'm sure the players know that our ranking is high, but that isn't our main goal. Our main goals are to win the Marmonte League and win a CIF championship."

Senior goalkeeper Laura Brain agreed with her coach.

"Truthfully, a ranking is just a ranking," Brain said. "Our team needs to focus on Westlake High right now, and we're only focused on them because they're our next game."

Last season the Lancers claimed the league championship and won two playoff games before losing to Temecula Valley High in the semifinals. Junior Sam Rivera has been eagerly preparing to start the 2007-08 season.

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers BALANCING ACT- TOHS junior Talyah Iannolo practices her dribbling and passing skills.

"Ever since the loss to Temecula, all I could think about was the first practice of this year," Rivera said. "And it's not just me. The work rate of the whole team has been great. Everyone is coming out to practice working hard."

One of the reasons Raives believes his team will improve is because he has many players that have already competed in the postseason.

"Players that have been on our team for the last two years have played in seven CIF playoff games," Raives said. "And the few players on our team that have been with us for three years have played in 11 CIF playoff games. So we have a lot of experience this year."

Rivera said the postseason experience has helped the Lancers' team chemistry.

"It's easy for us to give each other criticism in practice," Rivera said. "However, I wouldn't even call it criticism. We're all so comfortable with each other that we know everyone is just trying to help each other out."

TOHS is extremely experienced in the defensive backfield, where the Lancers will return four seniors- Nicole Cruz, Jennifer Jones, Olivia Geckle and her twin sister, Emily Geckle.

Last season Cruz was named to the 2006-07 Girls' Soccer All Amateur Athletic Foundation (AAF) Southern Section Division II Third Team. Midfielder Megan Myer, who last year made the All AAF-SS Division II First Team, is not on the squad due to unspecified personal reasons. Whether she'll return this season is unknown.

Directing the backfield will be goalkeeper Laura Brain. Last year Brain was named to the All AAFSS Division II First Team. Brain was also the Marmonte League's Goalkeeper of the Year.

"Laura has been great in goal for us," Raives said. "This season she seems stronger, and her fitness level is higher than it's been in the past."

While the defense is solid for the Lancers, the offense isn't too shabby either. Returning this year will be Cruz's sister, Michelle, who made the All AAFSS Division II Second Team as a freshman. Senior Rachel Morris and juniors Mary Madden and Rivera will be legitimate scoring threats as well.

"We have a good defense, but I'm really looking for our offense to be better," Raives said. "A win is a win, but we should be winning more 5-4 games than 1-0 games."

Although the Lancers are early-season favorites in the Marmonte League, Nicole Cruz said winning won't be easy.

"With most of the girls having played on the team for a while now, we all know what's expected of us," Nicole Cruz said. "We expect every game in league to be tough. That's why it's so critical we take this season one game at a time."

Thousand Oaks' next game is at home on Dec. 18 against Westlake.