By Kyle Jorrey
Purple Reign

Try as they might to put last year's epic run to NCAA glory in the rear-view mirror, the reminders are everywhere. On the commemorative T-shirts, on the wall entering Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, on the massive banner draped over the bleachers at William Rolland Stadium.

2023 National Champions.

The Cal Lutheran women's soccer team is sporting an unfamiliar label this season: favorites.

For the first time in program history, the Regals - unranked throughout 2023 - began 2024 atop the NCAA Division III preseason poll. With seven of 11 starters returning from a team that suffered only one loss and outscored opponents 45-13, the respect is well-deserved. However, could the newfound expectations be overwhelming for a program that has long thrived in the role of underdog?

Senior midfielder and returning captain Adriana Maroney (Honolulu) doesn't think so.

"It's a completely new season. New team, new girls, and we want to put (last season) in the back of our minds because it's not what defines us and we know we'll go game by game and show them what we've got," she said. "We still feel we have a lot to prove."

The rivalries remain the same — Pomona Pitzer, CMS, Whittier — but now their opponents' motivation has shifted.

"Of course everyone is going to want to come at us with everything they have," Maroney said. "Everyone wants to say they beat the champs."

Gone are the team's top scorers from a season ago, Isabella Veljacic and Eden Quiroz, who combined for 15 of the Regals' 45 goals. CLU will have to replace their production on the field, and their leadership off it.

"Those are big shoes to fill, not only were they really great players but they were really great leaders," Maroney said.

The responsibility falls to Maroney and fellow senior captains Avery West, a defender from Santa Rosa, and Ashley Escamilla, a midfielder by way of Chula Vista. Empowered by longtime head coach Frank Marino, each is as much a coach as they are a player.

"I always felt like a leader, even before I had the (captain's) label," said West, defending SCIAC Defensive Player of the Year. "For me, my personality has always been intense. Some people are intimidated by it. But my goal is to bring the best out of everyone. I practice like I play. I lead by example because I work really hard, and I think my team knows that."

West is one of several Regals returning from serious injuries. She broke her nose and orbital bone during a clash of heads in the postseason.

Will the fracture change her take-no-prisoners style of play?

"Absolutely not," West said. "For me personally, when I'm on the field, I'm not thinking, I'm trying to play freely and let my body do the work. When I'm at my best I'm just playing with joy and a sense of free spirit. Plus, you can't go into a tackle scared. You're more prone to get injured that way. So I'm tackling like I always have and going in hard."

Time to step up

As for who will pace the offense in Veljacic and Quiroz's stead, that remains TBD. In Marino's system, nothing is given. Everything must be earned.

"There's no hierarchy here," Maroney said. "Frank is like, 'Whoever is the best is going to play.' We want our freshmen to come in and fight for every spot."

There's certainly no shortage of contenders. On a Thursday night practice in late August, the team's 15 new faces - 13 freshmen and two transfers - battled alongside the returners in an intense scrimmage, each seeking to prove they belong among the nation's best.

Now in his 14th season with the purple and gold, Marino said he is encouraged with the early results.

"I think we've come in prepared. We've had a great training camp so far. I couldn't ask for more from an effort standpoint, and I think we're pretty sharp considering how many new players we have," he said in August.

Among the 13 freshmen are two sets of twins - Kira and Jenna Kisarda of Temecula and Kaitlin and Kamryn Beavers of Moorpark. As if keeping everyone's name straight was challenging enough on a 37-player roster…

"These girls are new, not only to this team but to college. They're living on their own for the first time," Maroney said. "So we do everything we can to make sure that they feel welcome to the team, and not only the team but in our community, to the culture. Because that's just as important."

Forming identity

With four returning starters, including West and All-SCIAC goalkeeper Kelsey Slaugh (Mesa, Arizona), on the backline, defense should remain the team's calling card. Last year, CLU allowed just a single goal through its first 10 matches and tallied 15 shutouts in all.

"We feel really good about our defense," Marino said.

Right now, West said, it's all about creating chemistry.

"We lost a big piece in (graduating senior) Ally Fisicaro, but now we have Tessa (French) and she's a great player," West said of the sophomore from Lake Oswego, Oregon. "There's no question we have high expectations for ourselves, for the back line. We're holding down the fort."

Offensively, look out for players like third-year forward Anna Evenson (San Diego), fifth-year senior Nevaeh Rascon (Tucson, Ariz.) and Escamilla, the team's top returning goal-scorer. Seniors Elisa Shott (San Anselmo) and Jazlyn "Jazzy" Campbell (Simi Valley) are also expected to contribute in addition to juniors Maya Blodgett (Belmont) and Ryan Kaneko (Kaimuki, Hawaii).

"We have a lot of girls who can play," Marino said. "I think it will take a little bit of time . . . but we have the talent to be successful there."

Asked who will take over the center-forward spot from the departed Veljacic, West was pragmatic.

"There's literally no replacing someone like Bella. I mean there would be times on the field when she would make a play and I think we were all just standing there amazed. This year it's going to take a group effort," she said. "And honestly, I think that's a good thing. Last year if we got down, we would always look to Bella to score. This year we can't do that. That's why I think we can be even more dominant, because everyone wants to score. And defenses are going to know that they can't just focus on one player. They're going to have to worry about all of us."

Call to fans

If there's one consequence of last year's championship that CLU is anticipating, it's increased support from local fans. While the squad can already count on an especially die-hard group of parents, Maroney said, an even larger cheering section in Thousand Oaks would be a welcome sight.

"I would love to see more fans out there," the senior said. "It's an incredible feeling. A 7 p.m. Saturday home game under the lights is way more fun when you have an electric fan base watching you and cheering you on."

After a 3-0-3 start to the regular season - including a 6-1 throttling of Concordia University (Texas) - West is telling her teammates to embrace their newfound role of top dog.

"Play with a little bit of swagger. Teams are going to come out and be scared… let them be scared," West said. "People either thrive under pressure or they crack, and this team has never been one to crack."

She added: "It's going be a helluva season. It's going to be a fight. But I know there's a lot of courage and grit and depth on this team. Personally, I'm really excited."

So are the CLU faithful.

View the Regals' full schedule of games.

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