This year has been good for Muskie sports. Our boys’ basketball team had a historic season, and now our girls’ soccer team is on track to do the same. After 8 games so far, they are 7-0-1 and undefeated. They are currently sitting at 1st in the MAC for girls soccer in Iowa.
A strong offensive performance and intense goalie effort lifted the Muscatine Muskies to a 6–1 victory over Central DeWitt on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. The win was fueled by a well-rounded team performance, with five players contributing assists and junior Mallory Bruhn’s showing in net.
Junior Naomi Young led the scoring charge with five goals on five shots. Senior Alex Bitterman added a goal and dished out three assists in a breakout game, contributing directly to four of Muscatine’s six goals. She fired off six shots, with four on target.
The Muskies’ offensive unit took 29 total shots, with 16 on goal. Defensively, Bruhn stood tall in goal, saving all four shots she faced over 65 minutes of play. Sascha Cacho stepped in for the final 15 minutes, allowing a late goal and making one save.
With this win, Muscatine continues to build momentum midway through the season, displaying depth, composure, and the kind of chemistry that could make them a serious postseason contender.
Besides the talent each of the girls shows off on the field, they also build their bonds with each other during practice and at team dinners. The relationships built during the season dictate if the team becomes a postseason contender. Though it is important to showcase where the ‘Skies girls soccer team is now, it’s important to note the time and dedication it took to compose the chemistry between the girls on the team. Captain Suhailey Romo shared the responsibility of her role and said,
“I’ve grown up with everyone, and now that I’m the oldest, I like helping guide people, and especially not just on varsity but on both teams. It’s just an honor helping people and being a captain.”
Goalie Mallory Bruhn, who played with the majority of the current varsity roster, also commented on the makeup of the team.
“The team chemistry is pretty high, it’s something that we’ve been working on to build throughout the season … we’re always working to build that.”
The muskie girls’ most recent game was against the Pleasant Valley High School soccer team, who previously defeated our team last season 7 to zero. This year, the varsity players have made a complete turnaround in the score, defeating Pleasant Valley 4 – 0.
Though past teams may have been afraid to step foot on the Pleasant Valley field, the current roster knew how to “take care of business”, as Edgar Arceo would say best. His role as a coach means building a space that the girls will be comfortable in. He said,
Connections from player to player also tie into pre-game nerves. If players hype each other up and remind them that it’s okay after making a mistake, the team will feel happy and ready to step into the game. Captain Hayden Kirchner agrees on the importance of uplifting other teammates and noted,
“Our confidence is up… right now in the season, we’re peaking”.
This is true, as the first goal was scored 3 minutes into the game by Alex Bitterman. She continued scoring on goal for the remaining 76 minutes of the game with assists from Lenora Loos and Tatiana Lopez. The final goal of the game was scored from a breakaway, with her moving around the goalie.
After the game, all players and coaches were overjoyed. There was coverage from the KWQC news, including interviews with head coach Edgar Arceo and captain Alex Bitterman. Everyone watching the game and playing on the field celebrated afterwards with a photoshoot on the track and a TikTok of the teammates dancing. On the bus, supportive jv players clapped as varsity players headed onto the bus. The energy radiating off the field even carried onto the stands, with parents cheering loudly and even dancing. Captain Leah Othmer shared,
“I’m glad that the parents had the same reaction that we all felt because it was such a rewarding feeling, beating PV, that’s just a team that you dream of beating…Seeing the parents all happy and so proud of us made us feel a lot better.”
With this undefeated run, Edgar has advised the team not to forget to,
“Enjoy it and remember it. These spring seasons go by so fast, so make memories, have fun, and appreciate every moment with your teammates.”
With every win this season, the pressure increases for the varsity girls’ soccer team. Having defeated Pleasant Valley, coaches Taylor Livermore and Edgar Areco agree that it has put a target on the team’s back. As the team climbs the list of 3A schools for the Mississippi Athletic Conference, both the level of competition and amount of encouragement grow. Going into the last part of their season, the girls have some tough opponents, but seeing as how the season has progressed so far, it’s nothing they can’t handle.