To say that the Acalanes girls soccer team had a heck of a year the last time they played a full season would be putting it lightly.
The Dons went 18-6-3, culminated by beating a mighty Branson team to win the North Coast Section Division III final. That's the history they'd like to repeat. They'd like to amend the part where they fell short of the NorCal final, losing 1-0 to Burlingame in the semifinals.
If you are wondering whether Acalanes has the weapons to do it, wonder no more. It returns four key starters who were freshmen on the NCS title team, Tatum Zuber, Addie Bailey, Chloe Quintella, and Jacque Peacock.
Zuber, as a freshman, led the team with 19 goals and 11 assists. Bailey had 15 goals as a freshman as the two combined for more than 50 percent of the team's goals. I repeat ... as freshmen.
Zuber and Tatum are joined by Quintella, Peacock, and three other juniors who are starters on a team that is on a mission to reach the NorCal final.
"That's the goal this year," Acalanes coach Nick Barbarino said. "We want to win our league, beat our rivals (Campolindo and Miramonte), win NCS, and make the NorCal final."
Of course, the Dons are going to have to go through teams like Branson and Archie Williams, among others, in order to make that happen. But with a team that has been together so long, Acalanes has a leg up.
"I think the team works so well together because we have been playing together for a long time," Peacock said. "Tatum, Chloe, and Addie were some of my very first teammates when I began playing for Cal Magic in elementary school. As we developed together as players on the same team we created a strong bond."
Zuber, Bailey, and Quintella still play for the Magic 03 team while Peacock has moved over to play for the Pleasanton Rage 05 team. However, the bond remains strong and now with the chance to play a full season, the four teammates have a newfound appreciation for one another.
"I'm so excited to be able to play with them again for Acalanes," Peacock said. "We were taught a lot about having respect for one another, staying gritty, and giving all-out effort. As leaders for Acalanes we hold our team and ourselves to these values every day.
"The thing that stands out the most to me about Chloe, Addie, and Tatum is their enthusiasm. They are always positive and they work really hard to help our team get to the next level. The work they put in on the field and in the classroom inspires me to work just as hard."
Quintella echoed the sentiment of Peacock, as the team strives for something larger than personal goals. They work as a team and put the team first.
"We have talked as a team and have agreed that we can and should strive to make it to another NCS championship," Quintella said. "A positive mindset, perseverance and working for one another is how we hope to do it."
The team avoided slipping up on Tuesday night, January 4, beating a Benicia team that it lost to two years ago, winning 2-0 to improve to 3-0-0 on the season. Staying focused is something that will help this team as they strive towards their goals.
"This team is similar to when I was a freshman," Zuber said. "We have very similar goals and values we set at the start of the year."
<strong>Tatum Zuber, Junior, Left Winger</strong>
Zuber plays out on the left wing, opposite of Bailey, and has a very good combination of size and speed. She is a very fast player who likes to take players on, and is so calm on the ball that 1v1 situations do not intimidate her. She has a great work ethic, a great attitude and has grown into being a leader. She has embraced the idea of the team being her family and her sisters.
<strong>Addie Bailey, Junior, Forward</strong>
Bailey is a big player who plays out on the right wing. At 5-foot-10 she offers a blend of size and speed. She uses her physical attributes to her advantage when making runs and getting into the box to get on the end of a cross or a free kick. She didn't start her freshman year as a starter, but she was shortly into the season.
<strong>Jacque Peacock, Junior, Central Defender/Outside Back</strong>
Peacock is a lightning-fast player, with the natural ability to push forward and she loves to do so when she's playing on the outside. She has an innate understanding of how to get forward. She is calm on the ball and she always understands where to be on the pitch. She's the type of player that truly loves to play.
<strong>Chloe Quintella, Junior, Central Defender</strong>
In 2019, Quintella as a freshman was the last player that made the team. At that time, Barbarino told her that she is making the varsity team but can't promise how much she will play. She took it upon herself to prove that she should be a starter and by season's end, she was. In the NCS title game, she helped shut down a dangerous Branson attack. She is the positive driver on the team when things go wrong. She does not stop working hard for her teammates.
