Alex Rytokoski
Viking senior center back Cole Baker is in defensive pursuit as Gunn Titans player attacks mid-field, in a loss, Monday night. According to Baker, the Vikings game today against the Mustangs will impact the rest of their season. "This game is one of our two last preseason games and will serve as a benchmark of how good we need to be for the rest of the season," Baker said.
The Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity soccer team (1-2) is set to play the Pioneer Mustangs (0-2-1), at 6 p.m. today at home.
After the Vikings lost a tight game to their rival, the Gunn Titans (1-2-2), on Monday, the team bounced back with a dominant victory, winning 6-1 over the Leland Chargers (0-3) on Tuesday.
The Vikings are now 1-2 in preseason matches and are playing against the Mustangs, who are still looking to get in the win column for the first time this season after their most recent game, losing 1-2, against the Mountain View Spartans (4-0) on Tuesday.
According to Viking senior center back Cole Baker, the Vikings may not have started the exact way they planned, due to many offseason changes, but the team can recover.
“Our season has been off to a rocky start; our team has changed a lot,” Baker said. “But I think we have the leadership to grow out of it.”
According to Baker, the team is working to develop its offense.
“We’ve done really well on defense throughout the preseason, and we are working on solidifying our offense,” Baker said.
According to Baker, the Vikings need to build momentum from the start.
“We have to make sure the energy is high to score in the first half, to give us momentum,” Baker said. “It’s [momentum is] necessary in competitive games.”
According to Viking senior striker Max Nicole, the Vikings need to start out hot against the Mustangs.
“The keys to victory are to go into the game guns ablazing,” Nicole said. “We need to be all over them from minute one.”
According to Nicole, this game and other preseason games have heavy playoff implications.
“This game can really dictate how our season goes,” Nicole said. “These [preseason] games count for CCS, so we need to win to have a good shot at making the playoffs.”
According to Viking senior defensive midfielder Will Stover, the Vikings need to compete for the entirety of the game in order to win.
“We need to stay engaged from the start,” Stover said. “We have to put in a full 80-minute performance. Our team is eager to compete and play our best from start to finish.”
According to Stover, the Vikings are looking to establish a winning identity.
“Getting back to winning ways is important to begin building a culture, especially when we play at home,” Stover said. “We want to make sure that no one can walk in and get a win on our home field. Winning today will prove that for the start of league [play].”