The Louisville women's soccer team won the first CIF state regional title in program history on March 2, 2024. (Courtesy of Christian Oregel)
The Louisville women's soccer team's motto this season was “Make it matter.” A series of practices, goals, and wins led to the team's goal of winning the league championship, the CIF Southern Section championship, and the CIF State Regional Championship.
The Lions achieved all of this while recognizing that their success was bigger than themselves, laying the foundation for future Louisville teams.
“There are a lot of great women who played before you in this program, and you owe it to them to make this program even better than what you found it,” Louisville head coach Ariana Martinez said. We have an obligation to do better,” he told his team.
Louisville (25-3) defeated Arroyo Grande 1-0 in the CIF State SoCal Division IV final on March 2 for the program's first regional championship.
The Lions were trying to accomplish something on their own, but they were also inspired by the program's alumni along the way.
Martinez reached out to former Louisville football players during the playoffs, and they wrote letters of support to his current team. They emphasized a culture of sisterhood, especially since Louisville, a 300-student school, played against schools up to three times its size throughout the postseason.
“It took some of the pressure off before the game,” Martinez said. “These moments in the playoffs can feel very pressured in terms of taking on a lot of responsibility, but hearing the support from the other girls and the other women who came before you was incredible. I think so.”
The Lions also won their first CIF-SS title since 2001, when Mie Kodama and Emma Castro each scored and Louisville defeated Monrovia 2-0 in the Division 4 final. Kylie Morris assisted on both goals.
In the regional playoffs, the team defeated La Jolla Country Day 5-0 and Monrovia 1-0 to advance to the finals.
Louisville posted 13 shutouts in 28 games this season, thanks in part to goaltender Emily Brown. She saved five penalty kicks during the Lions' playoff run, including one in the regional championship game against Arroyo Granade.
“I saw Emily make the save, and all the defenders, all her teammates, the girls on the bench, the girls on the field, they all ran up to her and congratulated her,” Martinez said. At the same time, I think it made us feel like, OK, make the next save, make the next tackle, because she did it too. ”
While Brown was the last line of defense, Kodama was in charge of the offense, scoring 41 goals over the season. She scored the winning goal in the regional championship, and she scored or assisted in every game this season while playing on the school's CIF-SS championship-winning women's basketball team.
“I have a vision of Mie throughout the season,” Martinez said. “She always showed up, gave 100% for the team, and always shined in the moments when she needed to. There were many times when we gave the team a boost that they needed.”
Kodama and Brown are two of seven fourth-year students who will graduate at the end of this school year. They and their teammates have remained true to the team's ethos, making this season meaningful and fueling the next chapter of Louisville women's soccer in unique ways.
“We all collectively allow everyone to be who they are,” Martinez said. “They were able to bring the best of themselves to the team, and that's what made our team so strong.”
