Los Alamitos High girls soccer coach Pat Rossi is optimistic that, despite a slow start during the pre-league season, the Griffins are capable of having a strong league season. The Griffins have started 2-6-2 with a 4-1 win over Liberty and a 4-0 win over Long Beach Poly early in the season. But the Griffins struggled to a 0-2-1 record in the Aliso Niguel Tournament.
With the graduation of a few key players last year, the team is looking for the right lineup. They have some returning seniors and some young talent and Head Coach Pat Rossi is not overly concerned about the losses they have suffered so far. He said they have been moving players around to get a look at where they work best together.
“We’re trying to get looks … we don’t want to take losses or even ties, we’re trying to get wins and take looks, so it’s hard to do both,” Rossi said.
The Griffins began the Excalibur Tournament this week, another field of tough competition, but league play will start up early in the new year. But Rossi said he feels good about what he calls the spine of the team, the middle players. The center forward, midfielder and defender will anchor the team and the style the Griffins like to play.
“I like that because they give leadership and they give shape to what we’re trying to do,” Rossi said.
Senior Alyssa Maciel is expected to be a key player in the middle, along with senior Camryn Flores, who looks like a solid player in the center midfield. Sophomore Addie Fennessy, a team captain already, will be a big part of solidifying the defensive line. Rossi also has a few promising goalies, with senior Sarah Appleby the likely No. 1 this year. As they look to build the wings, senior Abby Nuez, a UNLV commit, is definitely looking like a key part of the outside players.
The Excalibur Tournament started Monday and will be over by Dec. 31. Rossi has developed a very structured game plan that moves the ball all around the field to keep possession and control the offensive pressure. He said they are close to finding the best lineups.
“I’m optimistic, we’ve had better pre-seasons, but I see some interesting things that we can push into league, being strong,” Rossi said.
The Griffins will open Sunset League at home against Newport Harbor at 6 p.m. on Jan. 6.
