The Lincoln Northeast boys soccer team is currently 3-3 this season, and they are still trying to figure things out as the season goes on. Even though the record is even, the team has shown both strong moments and some struggles.

So far this season, Northeast has wins against Fremont (3-1), Columbus (2-0), and Lincoln North Star (2-0). They also had some tough losses, including Papillion-LaVista (1-0) and Lincoln Southeast (3-2). They also tied with Kearney in a 0-0 game.

These games show that the team can compete, but they still need to be more consistent.

“It’s kind of like we’re still getting used to playing together,” said Alexis Munoz, a player on the team. “At the start, we didn’t really click yet, but now we’re getting better.”

The season started off good with a win against Fremont, but after that, the team had a few losses in a row. This made it harder for the team to keep momentum, but they were able to bounce back later.

“We just had to keep working,” Munoz said. “We didn’t want to stay losing.”

One of the biggest things the team has been working on is defense and communication. Players say that when everyone is talking and doing their job, the team plays a lot better.

“When we communicate more, we don’t mess up as much,” said Abdulla Alfahad. “That’s something we’ve been trying to improve.”

The team showed this improvement in their recent 2-0 win against Lincoln North Star. In that game, they were able to keep a clean sheet, which shows better defense.

Even in games they didn’t win, like the 0-0 tie against Kearney, players said there were still good things.

“We played good defense that game,” Alfahad said. “We just couldn’t score.”

Scoring has been one of the harder parts for the team so far. In close games like the 1-0 loss to Papillion-LaVista and the 3-2 loss to Lincoln Southeast, just one or two plays made the difference.

“Those games were really close,” said Cristian Pena Soliz. “We just need to finish better.”

Besides playing games, student athletes also have to balance school at the same time. This can be stressful, especially during the middle of the season.

“It’s kind of hard sometimes,” Soliz said. “You have practice, games, and homework, so you have to manage your time.”

Even with the stress, players say being on the team is worth it because of what they learn. Another important part of the team is chemistry. Players say that getting along with teammates helps them play better on the field.

“We trust each other more now,” Munoz said. “That’s helping us play better.”

Team chemistry is important, especially in close games where small mistakes can change the outcome.

As the season continues, the team is focused on improving and trying to win more games. Even though they are 3-3 right now, they believe they can do better.

The Lincoln Northeast soccer team still has a lot of games left this season. If they keep improving, they have a chance to finish strong and turn their season around.