The Eastlake High School girls field hockey team has roared out of the starting gate with a 7-0 record this season.
The Lady Titans won their second Metro Conference game in as many outings by defeating host Chula Vista, 5-0, on Wednesday to remain undefeated on the young season.
Eastlake entered the game ranked sixth among San Diego Section teams.
Taylor Tropp and Alesia Casillas each scored two goals in Wednesday’s shutout victory while Katiana Carillo added one goal. Glo Hinojosa recorded the shutout win by making one save.
This year’s Eastlake team is reaping success now, and things appear to bode well for the future as well with a roster featuring two seniors, six juniors and seven sophomores this season.
“Our goal is to win it (the league title) this year,” EHS head coach Robert Blas said. “We’ve put out the word — girls are going to camp, playing over the summer, offseason, playing club.
“We have a large underclassmen group. A lot of girls started last year as sophomores. They’re learning from this year’s seniors to fill in the void from the graduated seniors.”
Top players include Hinojosa, a senior goalkeeper, and Tropp, a junior forward, as well as junior defender Marissa Garcia, junior midfielder Britney Buu and senior midfielder Alexis Morris.
The Lady Titans, who have posted shutout wins in each of their seven victories so far this season, entered the 2017 campaign with some unfinished business.
Eastlake received the No. 1 seed in last year’s Division II playoffs but was upset in the semifinals by four-seeded Mission Vista.
The Lady Titans finished 15-3 last season, 10-2 in league play.
Eastlake has gained recognition at the section level this year with non-league shutout wins over Rancho Bernardo, Clairemont, La Jolla Country Day, Helix and Mira Mesa
Rancho Bernardo won last year’s Division II championship with a 1-0 victory against Mission Vista in the finals.
This Lady Titans can measure their success this year in another way.
Eastlake defeated visiting Hilltop, 2-0, on Sept. 22. In games dating to 2011, Blas said his team had posted a rather meager 1-11 mark against the longtime league power Lady Lancers.
“That’s been kind of our goal this year,” Blas said.
Eastlake has outscored its last two opponents by identical 5-0 margins and has racked up a 27-0 scoring edge in seven games.
The high-flying Lady Titans return to the pitch for a league game Friday at 3 p.m. against visiting Bonita Vista. The Lady Barons won their league opener by a 5-0 score against visiting Castle Park on Sept. 22.
Eastlake hosts east side rival Otay Ranch in a key league encounter on Oct. 13 in a game that could set the course for the rest of the season.
Scripps Ranch holds down the current No. 1 ranking among section teams, followed by Torrey Pines and Serra.
Blas would like to see his team ranked near the top at the end of the season.
“We want to make the semifinals or finals in CIF,” he said.
