When the soccer season started, Mountain Pointe’s girls soccer team’s goal was to be what Pride coach Mark Wilson called "the queens of the conference,” referring to his team’s first-time entry in the newly-formed East Valley Region.
After a 5-0 victory over Phoenix Trevor Browne in the opening round of the state 5A-I playoffs in Karl Kiefer Stadium Wednesday night, the Pride want to expand that empire.
Mountain Pointe went undefeated in winning the East Valley Region title, and the next quest will come when the fifth seeded Pride travel to fourth seeded Gilbert Highland in the second round Saturday afternoon.
"We’re on a roll," Wilson said. "It was a great first (playoff) game. It was a momentum game where we got rid of some of the jitters and now we’re ready to face someone higher."
Wilson was able to pull his starters early in the second half while Highland had a little tougher time beating Mesa Mountain View, 3-1, on Wednesday.
"Highland and Mountain View were in a bloodbath," Wilson said. "We had what amounted to a medium scrimmage, so we should be fresh on Saturday."
Pride sophomore Chase Winstead got started the scoring in the first half and senior Gina Buschatzke gave Mountain Pointe a 2-0 cushion before the intermission.
"We got our two goals and started to fall down a little," said Pride junior forward Ellie St. Aubin who opened things up with two goals within eight minutes in the second half.
"Two goals is the worse kind of lead to have because they can come back and you can lose in a second," St. Aubin added. "After halftime we seemed to be able to get goal after goal."
Mountain Pointe tried not to overlook 12th-seeded Trevor Browne.
"They were a lower seed and we never played them so it’s not easy to say if they’re good or bad," St. Aubin added. "You just have to keep your head straight and think they’re just as good as us.”
Freshman forward Ciera Holle scored the final goal for the Pride.
The Pride made it to the second round of the playoffs last season after winning it all two years ago.
"Our experience in state is a huge difference," Wilson added. "They were rattled so they goes a long way."
