CHEYENNE — MVHS Buffalo girls soccer team (4W) aced their first year in 3A competition by claiming a slot at the state soccer tournament and played their first game ever in state competition last week in Cheyenne.

Going into their first season of competition, head coach Jessica Moretti, her staff and the team were focused on earning a trip to the state tournament on their first year out. And, as the team proved, they could do it. They made it to state battling most teams who had already played competitively for some time.

“We had such a great first varsity season,” Moretti said Wednesday. “Big compliments to the girls for making it to State.”

The Buffalos won a game, lost two and settled in fourth place. They went up against #1 E Newcastle at 4 p.m. on Thursday of last week.

“Going into the first game of the state tournament, we were the #4 seed and matched up to play the #1 seed from the East, Newcastle. We kept hearing through talk that the West was the stronger side of the State, but we now had to help prove that,” Moretti said. “We ended the 80 minute regulation match tied 1-1 and went right into overtime, which is then two 10-minute sessions. At the end of OT, we were still at a 1-1 tie. If the teams are still tied at the end of OT then the teams do a "Shoot Out,” we had five Mountain View Soccer players and Newcastle had five players with each of our team's goalies taking the penalty kicks (PK's). Mountain View showed confidence, poise and focus to make all of their PK's to only one of Newcastle's. It was exciting to knock off the #1 team from the East and move on to the semi-finals in our first season at the State tournament.”

Taking the win, 2-1, the Buffalos went up against the #2W Lander Valley Tigers last Friday.

The game at the state tournament last Friday between the Tigers and the Buffalos proved to be a repeat of the two games the teams had played during the season. The Buffalos fell to the Tigers 4-1.

“The second game was against Lander and proved to be the most physical game on the weekend,” Moretti said. “We held on to a tied game until around minute 60 or so and just couldn't handle the physicality of that game in the end. Mountain View dropped that game 1-4.”

West team, Worland,” Moretti said, “we had managed through the season to split games with them. The first match up was on the road, which we lost early in the season, 2-0. The second match up against Worland in Mountain View, we managed to pull off a big 5-2 win. Going into this game at state we felt confident, and so did Worland. We managed to have an excellent, hard fought battle with them, but fell short 2-1 at the end of the 80-minute regulation.

“The girls just continued to get better, as well as the teamwork that kept building. It was big commitments and trust amongst the team that helped us have a great season and get us to state,” Moretti said. “I want to thank each one of them for believing in one another and wanting to help build for the future of Mountain View's girls soccer program"