Mimbas Remain on the Prowl

After splitting the first two games of the season, the Mimbas are happy but understand that they have room to improve.

As the final whistle blew in their 7-0, season-opening victory against Baruch College Campus High School, the Stuyvesant Mimbas rejoiced on the sidelines. On both ends of the field, the players did their jobs.

On defense, the Mimbas felt unchallenged throughout the game. The offense made sure that Baruch could not get open for a short goal shot, leaving the defense untaxed. They controlled the time of possession and kept the ball on Baruch’s side of the field for much of the game. Having six different scorers and seven total goals, the Mimbas showed that they were able to effectively spread the ball around to pressure their opponents on offense.

Freshman Aki Yamaguchi led the way with two goals and has been a welcome addition to the team. She has shown a potential at practice and will continue to be a force on the offense side of the ball this year and next.

Senior and co-captain Charlotte Ruhl was extremely happy with the results of weeks of preseason practices and scrimmages. “We connected our passes, which is something we struggled with in the past, and communicated well,” she said.

After a close 1-0 loss to a strong Bard High School team, the Mimbas dropped a second match to Lab Museum United, 3-2. Yamaguchi and sophomore Selene Kaehny both scored for Stuyvesant in the overtime loss.

In this close bout, sophomore goalie Emory Walsh had 20 saves, doing her best to keep the team within striking distance. Her exceptional play during the first three games of the season is a pleasant surprise for a team that, at times, struggled on the defensive end last year.

Even with the two close losses, she and many of her teammates remain confident. They believe that the team has a lot to improve upon, but this start to the season has been positive. Specifically, the defense has shown itself to be consistent so far and has given up only four goals through three games, compared to 14 during the same stretch last year.

“I think that we could've done better, but our defense played exceptionally well against their offense,” senior and co-captain Saloni Majmudar said.

If they can continue with this consistency on defense, then the old adage of defense winning games will allow the team to make another run for the playoffs after a first round exit last year. In addition, revenge against Bard High School or Lab Museum United is not out of the picture either.

“We can definitely beat them when we rematch them,” Ruhl said. They will face both teams again later in the season, so time will tell if these early losses will be avenged.

Win or lose, Coach Hugh Francis and the players take what they learn from the games and apply it to their practices. After these three games, the Mimbas have adjusted practices to mimic game situations that they need extra work on, such as throw-ins and corner kicks.

With only one game a week, the team has the luxury to correct their mistakes from these first few games and gear up for the heart of the season. This extra work combined with a new defensive intensity has given the team the belief that it can compete with anyone.