Possession is the name of the game for the McAllen High girls soccer team.
Of course, while scoring and defending are critical factors toward every outcome, how well those areas perform come game time are often based on how well the Bulldogs’ midfielders play.
With a 21-0 record and a trip to the Class 5A Region IV quarterfinals looming at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Cedar Park at Corpus Christi Calallen, it’s pretty clear what type of a job they’ve done thus far.
With pinpoint passing, non-stop movement, aggressive attacking and defending, the trio of seniors Melanie Saldana and Chloe Fallek, and sophomore Haley Nixon have the Bulldogs two wins away from a second trip to the state tournament, the first one coming during the 2018 season.
“What we want them to do is transition from the defense to the offense, doing it in a way that can open up the opposing team’s defenses,” head coach Pat Arney said. “With quickness and quick decisions and precision passing they are able to do that so well. It’s not a set pattern by any means. They are creative, they are moving and playing so well together.”
That was evident during their third-round 5-0 victory over Corpus Christi Veterans. The visiting Eagles attempted to slow down the midfielders by pressing man-to-man. However, the quick touch passing and continuous movement led to accurate deliveries to teammates in open space until there was a scoring opportunity, and the Bulldogs had plenty of those.
“They use their forwards and wings in doing a great job to open the defense and create chances for us to score,” Arney said.
Saldana is what’s known as a holding midfielder in the Bulldogs’ scheme. She protects the defense from longer passes from the opponent’s midfielders to their forwards.
“She is much more defensive-minded,” Arney said. “She has a great leg but she’s focused on passing. She’ll make great runs and then dish the ball off, like a point guard in basketball.”
Ironically, Saldana wasn’t very interested in playing defense when she was put in that position as a sophomore. Now, she welcomes that role and the challenges that come with it. She has excelled there, shutting down the top scorers in her district, around the Valley and throughout the playoffs.
“We work really well together,” Saldana said, referring to her fellow midfielders. “We are always in a triangle and we cover each other. If I go up, someone comes back. We are always working and covering each other.”
The midfielder trio has 36 assists between them and are responsible for more than that as they get the ball up to their wings and forwards, who oftentimes have one more pass to dish en route to a goal.
Fallek is the most offensive-minded, with more than 20 goals to her name.
“Chloe has a great leg and can shoot from distance,” Arney said. “She’s like a 3-point shooter in basketball, otherwise, and (the) defense will just suck in. She’s accurate and has made some timely goals. She did that against Edcouch-Elsa (during a 2-0 bi-district win), just picked out a corner and put it up there, and she’s been doing that.”
Nixon is the young one of the middles, but she has worked herself right in there with the seniors as a seamless member of that group.
“She is the quiet one. She’s more pass-oriented while Mel is defense and Chloe is offense,” Arney said. “Her job links them all together and she’s great at getting the ball out to our wings. She does her job well.”
The three not only spark the offense, but also work at helping the defense, pressing opposing forwards to stop any long-ball counter attacks. If they someone get by the middle three, a defensive wall awaits the opponent and the mids are ready to start their own counter attack.
“We’ve been working a lot on our own counters,” Saldana said. “From Grace (Kelly, goalkeeper) to one of the defensive backs then us, we’re always looking forward for the open players, now not dribbling as much and making one or two passes out to our fast forwards.
“I’m not ready for this season to end. We’re giving it our all every single game,” Saldana said. “I’m excited.”