By Soleina Vasquez

The Ateneo Girls’ Football & Futsal Team (AGFT) opened their Rizal Football Association (RIFA) 9-A-Side Tournament campaign on Sunday, January 25 at the Ateneo Ocampo Field with a 3–0 win over the San Beda Lions, followed by a 2–0 victory against Xavier Nuvali.

Team co-captain Louise Doque, who plays as a defensive midfielder, said the team entered the tournament aware of the adjustments they had to make.

“We were at a bit of a disadvantage,” Doque said, explaining that the squad is primarily a futsal team and had spent most of the year training on the court rather than on the field.

She added that limited field availability on campus meant they sometimes trained “on the side of the fields being used by other teams,” but noted that attendance remained nearly complete in the buildup to opening day.

According to Doque, the captains and coaching staff emphasized the importance of preparing “all together as one team” despite the logistical challenges.

With only seven returning players from last year’s roster, she acknowledged that the team dynamic has shifted, saying, “You can imagine how different the dynamics and the general environment feels.”

Moreover, she credited tournaments such as the Jesuit Athletic Meet (JAM) and Palaro, along with consistent weekly training sessions, for helping the players develop “strong and very personal bonds,” which she said were evident in the trust shown during both matches.

“Sometimes communication between players doesn’t have to be spoken,” Doque stated. She also described the connection that translated onto the field against San Beda and Xavier Nuvali.

In their first match, striker Narra Carsi-Cruz scored the crucial opening goal that set the pace. Doque explained that breaking through San Beda’s defense provided “that extra boost of confidence” for the team, eventually leading to Carsi-Cruz’s second goal and a third from Doque to secure the 3–0 result.

Heading into their second match of the morning, Doque pointed to the team’s deeper bench as a key factor, noting that this year they have “more than 10 girls on the bench” compared to last season’s limited rotation.

The increased substitutions allowed players to recover properly and prior experience against Xavier Nuvali in JAM last September 2025 meant “mentally we already knew what we were up against,” contributing to their 2–0 finish, courtesy of two goals from Doque.

Now starting the campaign 2–0 after winning last year’s championship, Doque acknowledged heightened expectations, expressing, “There’s more pressure to perform this year over last year,” but affirmed her confidence in the squad’s ability to maintain its standard.

“Our team’s motto has always been to ‘Communicate and have fun,’” Doque said, adding that she and co-captain Ry Dolor hope AGFT will be recognized not only for “competence, resilience, and commitment” but also for embodying Ateneo’s spirit throughout the tournament.

The AGFT will return to action on Sunday, February 1, at the Ateneo Ocampo Field, where they are set to face the squad of De La Salle Zobel (DLSZ) at 8:00 a.m.