After two close losses to start the season, the Atoms look to get in the win column.
The team plays their third game of the season on Monday against Lake Braddock (results not available by publication date).
Lake Braddock is coming off of a strong season last year, going 8-4-1, so this game should be a tough one for the Atoms.
It is important for the team to come prepared and ready to play, as a win for the team would be crucial for them to gain momentum.
“We have to be mentally prepared. A win for us would really help us gain momentum and possibly help us develop a win streak,” junior Marcelo Pozo said.
A win for the Atoms could possibly give the team the momentum they need, as they head into district play soon.
The Atoms next game is against Forest Park on March 30, then the team opens up district play against Lewis on April 12.
The team is looking to keep improving as the season continues so they can be ready for district play.
“I think the team needs to improve on shooting and making runs,” junior forward Muhajir Adem said.
Shooting and making runs are very crucial for opening up the offense for the Atoms.
Making strong runs allows for the team’s offense to have more scoring opportunities.
“We can improve by continuing to work hard and staying focused at practice,” Pozo said.
Staying focused and improving at practice will help the team produce better results in the game. Despite the team’s slow start to the season, some players are making improvements to their game and getting better everyday.
“I think it’s my positioning that has helped me score as well as knowing where to be at the right time,” Adem said.
Adem scored multiple goals for the Atoms over the last couple of games and scrimmages the team has played, so it is important for him to keep up his solid play.
The team is coming off of a recent 2-1 loss against Fairfax on March 22.
The Atoms jumped to a 1-0 lead to start the game, after a goal was scored off of a penalty kick from senior Josh Espinoza.
Despite the strong start, Fairfax scored two goals off of free kicks to go up 2-1.
Fairfax held this lead for the rest of the game and ended up winning.
This was an unfortunate loss for the Atoms, as the team controlled the possession for most of the game, and played an overall better game than Fairfax did.
The Atoms first game of the season was away against Herndon.
The Atoms got off to a slow start, as Herndon got up 3-0 in the first half.
The team bounced back in the second half, outsourcing Herndon 2-1, but it wasn’t enough to win the game.
The Atoms ended up losing 4-2.
“We have not played up to the ability I know we can play in our first two games of the season,” Pozo said. “I am confident that we will continue to get better and we will win more games as the season progresses.”
The Atoms have the talent that is needed to get hot and win games, and it’s just a matter of time before that happens.
Despite the rough start, the team still has a common goal in mind.
“We want to win districts and it would be great if more people came to games to support,” senior defender Fernando Sandoval-Arteaga said.
Fans cheering on the team are very important to the success of the team, and it would really help the team achieve their goal of winning a district championship.
“My goals are to have the players enjoy playing soccer. Having fun is the key to success. At the same time, teaching some of the fundamentals of soccer so that the players can work better together as a team. My expectations are that the players will work hard and give 100 percent towards the team,” head coach Tejas Patel said.
Having fun and working hard can really help push the Atoms to their full potential, and possibly lead them to a district championship.
“The main goal of the team is to work hard and win a district championship together,” Pozo said.