The girls soccer team (13–1) defeated the Churchill Bulldogs (10–3) 2–1 in the sectional finals Thursday.

The Vikes defeated the Bulldogs in the regular season, but they came into the game knowing that they would be a tough opponent.

“The Churchill girls had a lot of spirit and a lot of the same motivation as our team” midfielder Meagan Olsen said. “Their line-up is a really good group of girls, and our teams have a lot of similar qualities.”

At the start of the game, the play was back and forth, but both teams were struggling to get a shot on goal. After twenty minutes of competitive play, forward Delaney DeMartino cut past the Churchill defense to take a shot, scoring the first goal of the game.

Goalie Katie Stender-Moore had strong saves and communication in the box, strengthening the Vikes’ defense. After an aggressive first half, the score of the game remained 1–0.

During the second half, the ball remained mainly in the middle of the field with few shots from either team. With about ten minutes left in the half, forward Grace Martin moved the ball up the field to face the Bulldogs’ defense. In an attempt to clear the ball, a Bulldog defender kicked the ball into the net for an own goal, making the score of the game 2–0.

With a final score of 2–0, the Vikes advanced to the regional finals. They will face the Quince Orchard Cougars, the only team they’ve lost to this season. The game is Monday at 7:15 at Gaithersburg High School.

“QO is a very different team from the other teams we’ve played,” Olsen said. “I think an important thing for us is to keep having fun with this, and to keep our goals from the beginning of the season in mind.”