The Manhattan High girls soccer team goes 1-2 for the first three games of the season.

The first game was last Tuesday against the Seaman Vikings.The girls struggled in this game, as they had only had a few practices leading up to the game to work on their formation and connection with one another.

“So I think it’s just kind of, you know, the first game out, trying to get everybody on the same page,” head coach Mike Sanchez said. “[It’s] pretty tough right after spring break.”

A slip-up by the defense led to Seaman scoring their first goal of the night. The girls tried to keep the score at 0-1, but a foul made by the team opened up another opportunity for Seaman to score through a penalty kick. The kick was in, leaving the end of the second half with a score of 0-2.

The team picked up the intensity a bit for the second half, but Seaman earned another penalty and scored. The game remained 0-3 for a while until a breakaway by junior Reese Snowden allowed her score with just a minute and eight seconds left in the game. The intensity shot up within the team, but the score remained 1-3 in the end.

“The hardest part was probably just trying to figure out who’s gonna play where and who’s going to step up,” Sanchez said. “You know it’s game one so [there’s] a lot to learn from.”

On Thursday the team headed to Junction City for their next game. From the start, Manhattan dominated the game, a complete 180 from Seaman. Within the first few minutes of the game, junior Adaly Espinoza put one into the net, setting the tone for the game.

The game eventually went 8-0 at the end of the first half, with notable hat tricks from both Snowden, junior Emery Ruliffson, and a goal made by freshman​ Tess Henry.

“It was really cool,” Henry said. “It was a good cross by Delaney [Larson, freshman] and I was really surprised that it went in.”

The second half started with the same intensity, as Ruliffson found the back of the net a few minutes in. The game ended the same way it started with Espinoza cementing the score at 10-0, leaving JC to forfeit due to mercy rule.

The final game of the week was against five-time state champs, Blue Valley West.

“I’m nervous, [it’s] right off the season, but I think we’ll be good,” senior captain Katelyn Purdom said. “Each game and each practice we build a little bit so I think we’ll be okay.”

The game started with Equal standing but with more defense on our side. At 25 minutes in the first though, BVW was able to score. The girls brought up the intensity after that, but BVW was able to score again, leaving the half at 0-2.

The second half started at a slower pace, with Manhattan still playing defense. BVW scored again at 25 minutes into the second half.

There were a few attempts by Snowden to get the game to an equal playing field, but the score remained 0-3 for the rest of the game.

Even after the game, the girls looked on the bright side because compared to last year’s loss of 0-5, this was a better game.

“Just the fact that we lost against them 0-5 last year and we’re playing better than we were this week, it was a better loss,” senior captain Crinnia Turner said. “We truely believe we can tie or win against them later in the season.”

The team faced Olathe North on Tuesday at Bishop Stadium and will head to Lawrence Free State on April 3.