Alpine Strikers FC 2005 heading to NPL: Talent Breakdown

The Alpine Strikers FC 2005 girls team, based out of Woodside, is currently competing in the State Premiere League, and after having won their regional league in the fall, they are spending the spring playing in the Champions League. They are also fortunate enough to have merged with Stanford SC and PSV Union, creating a larger club called West Bay FC and will be a National Premiere League team next year. The core of the girls on the team go to Menlo-Atherton High School and have played together for 9-10 years. They boast many talented players, and here are five to keep an eye on. <strong><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/04/Jordan-Bradley-rotated-crop-1499x984-1649129683.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-41989 alignleft" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/04/Jordan-Bradley-rotated-crop-1499x984-1649129683-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>Jordan Bradley, Defensive Midfielder</strong> Bradley is a player who can play all over the pitch, up and down the midfield, and on the backline. She is fantastic at switching the point of attack and rates as one of the best players coach Jeff Panos has coached at the club level. She tracks back very well, can mark well 1v.1, and has a great long-distance shot. <strong>Avery Galles, Central Defender</strong> Panos mentioned Galles is one of the most improved players he's coached at the club level and has now become one of the best center back's in the region. She's aggressive, very quick, great in the air and this makes her very good at defending set pieces. Her ability to delay and disrupt a team's attack sets her apart. <strong>Taylor Martin, Striker</strong> Martin, who attends Aragon High School, might be small, but she makes her size work to her advantage. She has a low center of gravity and wonderful balance and body control. She's very agile. She works back to the ball very well, and has really improved in 1v.1 situations, and has become a threat to take on defenders. <strong>Kate Nelson, Attacking Midfielder<a href="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/04/Katie-Nelson-rotated-crop-1509x991-1649129625.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-41987 alignright" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/04/Katie-Nelson-rotated-crop-1509x991-1649129625-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></strong> Nelson is a very patient and composed player. She distributes the ball extremely well, and is not afraid to track back and play defense when need be. She helps transition the team from defense to offense and after she does, she is a threat going forward. [caption id="attachment_41984" align="alignleft" width="240"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-41984" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/04/Tatum-Oleson-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /> Tatum Olesen (18) at Menlo-Atherton High School soccer field on Tuesday, May 4, 2021.Photo by Bob Dahlberg, @bobd_photo.[/caption] <strong>Tatum Oleson, Right Wing</strong> Oleson is a cross country and track star, so she is a very, very fast player on the right side. She finds ways to make runs through seams in the defense, and after the ball is player to her she is great at making a cross from the right side. She is the best on the team at crossing the ball into the box. <strong>Charlotte Van Gent, Center Forward/Attacking Midfielder</strong> Van Gent is a 2006 who is playing up, and attends Pinewood High School. She has a fabulous shot from distance and is learning to shoot in many different ways from many different places. She is the team's best pure shooter, and she also has a great work rate wherein which she is always challenging the defenders and forcing them to be aware of her. The girls will face the Ceres Earthquakes on Saturday in a Champions League clash and face Diablo Valley Wolves on Sunday in the State Cup.