Women’s Varsity Soccer coach Dan Chubbock threw his phone across the turf just in time for a victory rain. The players, hugging and celebrating their 1-0 win against Berkeley, emptied the massive water jug over their coach’s head. Afterwards, running up the bleacher stairs as the Foothill League Champions and their coach dripping close behind them, students, friends and family waved Senior Night posters and cheered them on.

For the first time in 15 years, the Women’s Varsity soccer team won League Championships with a 15-4-3 record, and placed second in the NCS finals. They had a victorious season, sophomore Ceci Brien said, despite coming in as the underdogs with seniors lost from last season and an unusually young team this season.

“We weren’t expecting to win [semifinals], and they were a super good team,” Brien said. “We just kept fighting and we pulled it off.”

Team captain senior Ellie Coleman and sophomore Fiona Hunter said that the main reason for their success was the strong bond between everyone on the team, both on and off the field.

Coleman said that skill and determination can only take a team so far, but knowing how to create the right team dynamic is what really brought their team into the realm of success.

“Everything just came together because we had great communication between our coaches and each other,” Coleman said. “But I think what really made the difference this season was that we played with so much heart because we would step on that field and play for ourselves and play for each other.”

Coleman said that this season was especially memorable because so many people came to support and watch their games.

Hunter said that she could feel the sense of community when she would look up from the field and see a wave of purple cheering them on from the stands.

“The energy that people brought with them was amazing, and on the field, we could feel that energy,” Hunter said.

During their NCS finals game in Marin against Branson High School, the wave of purple supporters did not fail to fill the stands yet again. PHS parents and students had journeyed across the San Rafael bridge to see the final showdown.

“It meant so much to have such a supportive community right there with us,” Coleman said, looking back at the season and that final NCS game. “It was something to play for that was more than just ourselves and the team.”

The NCS finals game was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, and Branson won the game in penalty kicks.

Coleman said it was hard to be too disappointed by the loss because it had been such a good game and they had come so far as a team to get to where they were.

“It was so great to see everyone come together throughout the season,” Coleman said. “We had an unforgettable season with an incredible group of girls, and I am so proud to have been apart of it.”