Heading into the final stretch of its season the girl’s soccer team is 14-2-1 and boasting the best record in the 6A/7A South 6-0.

Senior Lexie Balisterri said she feels like the team’s success can be attributed to the chemistry gained playing together during the fall.

“We’ve gotten to play with each other for a long time and over the fall, and knowing your players and how they play is huge part of soccer,” Balisterri said.

Coach Julie Long said this connection between the players and the teams leadership is what separates this team from past teams.

“They have potential to be one of the best teams I have coached just because of the way they work together, and its leadership,” Long said.

The team breezed through conference with an undefeated record, but Long said the team’s mentality to look at every game as an opportunity to get better has allowed it to avoid a slip-up.

“We come out every game and try to get better,” Long said. “I think the girls would tell you our big theme this year has been to come out with a goal to get better every day,” Long said.

Having a strong freshman class usually means big things for a team in the future, but this freshman class has made a big effect on the team this season and it has not come on the game field.

“We have a really strong freshman class,” Long said. “Those younger players push all the seniors during practice because they know if they are going to play they are going to have to earn it.”

The team’s state tournament starts May 9, and Balisterri said she feels the team’s biggest competition is the defending state champions, but thinks that her team could potentially match up well with them.

“Bentonville is our biggest competition. They are just a solid team, they won state last year,” Balisterri said. “I think when we play our game though we can beat them.”