Lincoln’s lady soccer team starts their new season ready to make another run for the championship with a lot of optimism.

The girl’s 8-4-1 record last year and not making the playoffs does not discourage them.

“Well… it’s a new year and it surely looks like we’ll have a successful season,” sophomore captain Alex Mogannam said.

In the 13-years of Lincoln girl’s soccer history, last year was the first year Lincoln didn’t make the playoffs.

“We lost a couple of games we should have won,” assistant coach Joey Almeida said.

The team this year is full of experienced players full of eagerness. There are 16 returning players and six new players.

“I have six returning players that’s been playing together for three years, so they are very close,” head coach Danny Link said.

The team is working on the fundamentals during preseason by passing, receiving and dribbling to develop the player’s individual skills. Their strategy is to play position soccer and to pass the ball.

“We're good and we're improving, and we will definitely make the playoffs,” junior midfielder Suzanne Hy said.

Head coach Danny Link has been coaching Lincoln’s girl’s soccer team for 13 years. His calm and relaxing style of coaching makes him a role model to his girls.

“Danny is a great coach, he has patience, is enthusiastic and has a lot of knowledge of the game,” senior midfielder Yvette DeSantiago said.

Junior forward and captain Alanna Grant makes an effort to encourage and push her team to victory. Being the player with the most experience, Grant directs and motivates her team to do their best by giving them advice and setting an example.

“Alanna pushes us to be better players, she’s a great leader for our team, she inspires us and it’s just a blast having her as captain,” junior outside defender Angelica Young said.

The impact and importance of Grant's influence is not only defined by her ability to positively affect her teammates, but also through her commendable statistic numbers. Grant contributed in every part of a 6-0 win against Balboa on March 10 by scoring 4 goals and assisting in the other 2.

Grant has been playing soccer for 10 years now and won defensive player of the year in the conference last year. She is switching from a stopper to forward where she strives to score and help her team win.

“Being forward gives me more opportunity to score to help out the team,” Grant said.

This year Grant is expected to lead this team back to the playoffs and shape her teammates to be strong competitors.

Link believes his girls can be tough playoff contenders once again, by working as a team.

“[Working as a team] starts with friendship and the respect for each other, and I think it’s definitely something this team has,” Link said.