Springbrook Girls Soccer has Best Record Since 1999

Springbrook's girls soccer team is in the midst of their best season since 1999. The team is 7-5 and beaten Montgomery County rivals such as Blake, Wheaton and Einstein. Tomorrow, they'll square off with Paint Branch in their first game of the MPSSAA playoffs.

All this success Springbrook has had may have been difficult to imagine a couple years ago. The Blue Devils had a rough season in 2013, finishing without a win. It was Lauren-Ashley Minor's first year as head coach for the team.

"Three years ago I had nine freshmen as starters and we lost every single game. Last year, we received three new talented freshmen and won four games. We were a very young and inexperienced team that continuously got better every day," said Minor. "I expected the team to finish strong this season."

The team's dedication is one of its strengths. After that tough season in 2013, Minor was surprised to see every player return the following season at tryouts. 2014 was a better year for the Blue Devils, as they finished with four wins.

The team's positive attitude and thirst to get better since that tough 2013 season has finally started to lead to winning more consistently in 2015. The team also seems to be peaking at the right time, finishing the regular season by winning three of their last four games.

"If they win, they are excited to get back to the practice field to prepare for our next opponent. If they lose, they are eager to watch film to see what we need to work on in our upcoming practices," said Minor. "After every game we analyze what we could do better as individuals and as a team. The reflective practice and positive outlook continues to help us grow on and off the field."

For Minor, the highlight of the season has not come in a win. Springbrook lost 4-3 to Magruder. What made the loss so special though was the team's overall performance, especially the offense against Magruder's very talented defense. It was yet another benchmark to show that Springbrook's girls soccer program is heading in the right direction.

Looking ahead, Springbrook is hoping to translate their regular season success to results in the postseason. After earning a first round bye, they'll have a tough time of it in the second round- Springbrook has already played their first round opponent, Paint Branch, this season and lost 2-1.

Despite having a tough game on the horizon, Springbrook is still excited with the progress they have made this season, as well as the challenge ahead. A run in the postseason would be an excellent way to cap off this exciting season for the girls soccer program.

"2013 was a tough season for all of us. It was frustrating to see them work so hard in practice and have it not translate in games," said Minor. "They not only showed me their dedication as a team, but also how committed they are to building the soccer program at Springbrook."