Mariner girls soccer shooting for third straight trip to state title game

The Mariner High Girls soccer team is the top ranked team in 5A and the number seven team in the state.

“We have the number one strength of schedule in 5A right now,” Mariner Girls Head Soccer Coach Jami Hagy said. “The girls wanted a challenge, they were up for it, they showed up and trained and that’s part of what makes this team so great: they want better and they do better.”

The Tritons have worked hard for their 18-3 record, setting them up well to reach the state championship for the third straight year.

In 2022, the girls won their first title.

“We were the first team at Mariner to win a state championship as a team and that was just a huge accomplishment,” Mariner senior Ryleigh Acosta said. “I’d just like to go out like that as well. It would be amazing.”

In 2023, it was heartbreak in penalty kicks, but that title game loss is motivation for this season.

“We know that we do not want to do that again,” Mariner senior Arianna McIntyre said.

Five starters were out in that game so even though they lost, it was a close one and a confidence booster for this year.

“The people that didn’t start really stepped up and showed what they could do,” Acosta said.

“We were missing so many people that making it that far was so inspirational,” McIntyre said. “We just know this year we want to do it for each other.”

Playing for each other is exactly what has propelled this team to state title favorites this time around.

“They are hungry for it again,” Hagy said. “The closeness of this team I think is what’s going to get us through it.”

“We all have the same goal,” Acosta said. “We all learn from each other.”

 The Tritons host Seminole in the regional quarterfinals on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m.