Strong start for Lobos soccer
Published 1:30 am Monday, September 29, 2025
By Gene Helfman
Weekly contributor
The first few weeks of the semester provided plenty of opportunities for the two varsity Lopez soccer teams to establish their games. The Lady Lobos took a three-win/no-loss record to Friday Harbor for a Sept. 16 match, while the men went into the game with a one-win/one-tie record. This is the girls’ second season and second year under head coach Galen Westervelt. Last year’s young team finished with two wins and eight losses — including two losses to Friday Harbor — but with strong prospects for 2025 after a year of growth. The 16-person roster now includes five seniors, five juniors and six younger players, providing depth as well as valuable gametime experience. Both showed in the match against the Wolverines. The first period was scoreless, with much of the play on Lopez’s half of the field, and both teams with scoring opportunities. Seventeen minutes into the second period, freshman Danna Aguilar-Clavel scored on a run up the middle, showing the value of that depth. Lopez’s defense held off multiple tries by Friday Harbor, goalkeeper Naima Garcia stopping shot after shot. Garcia “pitched a shutout” — her fourth of the season — the game ending Lopez-1, Friday Harbor-nil. Coach Westervelt called it a “seriously exciting match” as the girls overcame several factors working against them, “filling the roles they needed to fill despite injuries and illness. Everything is continuing to look very positive for continuing our winning streak” as the 4-0 team heads into the bulk of league play.
The story for the boys couldn’t be much different. Last year’s championship team contained several high-level seniors, all “lost” to graduation. Coach Tommer Roush is working with a young team anchored by four returning seniors and three juniors, but definitely dominated by underclassmen on the 17-member roster. Lopez had scoring opportunities against Friday Harbor, but the Lobos were mostly on defense, keeper Huck Henderson under attack right from the beginning. The first half ended scoreless, a tribute to how hard the Lobos played. Friday Harbor opened the second period with a goal after only two minutes on a corner kick, then again eight minutes later on a rebounded ball in a set piece. Coach Roush commented, “Overall, it was a tough match and a great game and everybody played well, especially the back line and mid-field. We had to sub in several players who hadn’t played before and they did really well. You can’t ask for more than keeping them scoreless during the run of play. The boys felt they put everything they had, which is a good outcome.”
Upcoming home games for the girls are on Sept. 26 and Oct. 9 and 10; and Sept. 30, Oct. 3 and 8 for the boys.
