Most high school athletic teams have a star they look to as a team leader. However, most teams do not a five-star recruit who is committed to Stanford as that star. The Westside girls soccer team is not most teams.

Michelle Xiao has been a varsity girls soccer player since her freshman year. And this year she is looking to do something she hasn’t done her first three years: win a state championship. Actually, if the Warriors take one home this year, it would be the first in program history.

The Warriors are confident in their ability to win this season. They return much of their main talent from last year, and add players in the freshman class.

“I think we’re going to be really good this year,” Xiao said. “We didn’t lose a ton; we lost a couple, but we gained more than we lost.”

However, the Warriors do head into the season down a key contributor. Junior Abigail Lippincott tore her left ACL at a tournament in Las Vegas in February. She would have started as an outside midfielder for the Warriors this season. But, the Warriors have had to adapt to injuries before.

“We learned to adapt when she was out last season,” senior Mary Novoa said. “We will miss her on the field, but she will be there cheering us on.”

The Warriors got off to a good start to their season Monday, March 23, defeating the Benson Bunnies 14-0 by mercy rule in one half. Xiao had six goals and many other Warriors chipped into the effort.

The girls will play their next game Thursday at Westside. Check back on westsidewired.net for a live stream of the game.