Under the lights of the Estuary and in front of a committed crowd of parents and friends, the Encinal Jets’ varsity women’s soccer team fought hard but came up short in a 2-0 loss against Oakland Tech on December 19, 2025. Despite the cold, wet, and windy conditions, the Jets held strong defense, keeping Oakland’s team restrained while pushing for a goal on the other end of the field, stretching their offense.
“We were missing a lot of players and only had one sub so it was a tough game especially because of the heavy rain and tech’s physicality throughout,” said team captain and senior Fiona Fix. “I think we had a lot of great plays and our defense was strong, if we had the full squad it definitely could’ve been a win for us.”
Key players on defense were juniors Roxy Faizi & Nayel Muller, with noticeable contributions on offense from Junior Naomi Stollman, taking a slight tumble in the first half but remaining one of the strongest components to the team.
Newly trained goalie, Roxy Faizi, replacing previous goalie Sofia Ortega, did well in goal and made an impression with her powerful and accurate kicks to the outfield.
“Oakland Tech had a lot of shots, and with the help of my defense, we were able to hold them off and not concede for a while,” said Faizi. “I think our loss came down to a lack of communication and some tiredness.”
One of the team’s players, junior Rhianna Farris, was unfortunately not present at the game, along with many others, creating a dent in the flow. With no subs, the Jets held their heads high and played to their best ability.
“It was hard not being there during the Oakland Tech game, especially knowing how close we were. We didn’t get the win, but it wasn’t a bad loss, and I’m proud of my team,” said Farris. “With so many new players and not a lot of practice time, we’re still learning from each other and hopefully during the actual season it will click and we will find our rhythm.”
Despite the loss, the Encinal Jets walked off the field with growing confidence, ready to turn hard lessons into momentum for the rest of the season; bonded by trust on the field, they proved that this season is more than wins, it’s about growth. With an overall record of 2-3, the Jets are looking forward to a redeeming season.
