Los Alamos High School Varsity soccer team. Photo by Dustin Sutherland

Chloe Coffey/Photo by Dustin Sutherland

Zoe Romero/Photo by Dustin Sutherland

Payton Sutherland/Photo by Dustin Sutherland

BY JESSICA FREER
Lady Toppers Soccer

There were no tricks for the Lady Toppers on Halloween, only treats. The soccer team delivered a commanding 9-0 victory over the Aztec Tigers at home Saturday in the state playoffs, punching its ticket to the state semifinals.

From the opening whistle, the Lady Toppers controlled the game, pressuring the Tigers’ defense and capitalizing on scoring chances. The shutout victory showcased the team’s strength on both ends of the field, as the defense kept the Aztec Tigers from mounting any serious threat while the offense found the net nine times in a dominant shutout.

The home crowd energized the squad throughout the game, and the Lady Toppers rewarded their fans with one of the most lopsided playoff wins of the season. The result is a clear statement to the remaining teams in the bracket: the Lady Toppers are a forceto be reckoned with.

Next up is a semifinal showdown with St. Pius on its home turf on Tuesday, November 3, at 2:00 p.m. The turnaround is quick, so the Lady Toppers must shift swiftly from celebration to preparation. Playing on the road will present a new challenge, but Saturday’s performance showed a confident team playing its best soccer at the right time.

Fans are encouraged to make the trip to St. Pius High School to cheer on the Lady
Toppers as they chase a spot in the state championship game.

The team is coached by Adam Drew, Jiri Kubicek, and head coach Jessica Kubicek-
Sutherland.