The Cranston West girls soccer team is looking to return to the playoffs this coming season after a disappointing loss in the Division I Quarterfinals last fall.

West graduated a large core of senior leaders from last year’s club, including Maddie Alves, Maddie Barbieri, Karol Matamoros and Angela Marses. This year‘s team will be led by returners Brynn Bachner, Riley Welch and Emily Webb, who were all named captains.

West coach Jeremy Sherer has been happy with the team’s performance in the preseason and has noticed a more well-balanced lineup this fall.

“We have a higher, more uniform ability across the roster, there’s not much drop off, which I believe gives me some options. There are some really phenomenal young players that have come in. We’re focused on process and not result. The result will come if we get the process and details down,” said Sherer.

Webb has been excited to get back to work and to grow into the leadership role.

“I’m excited, it’s definitely an adjustment losing so many players from last year but I’m excited to see what this season has for us. We have a lot of great incoming players so it’s going to be a building year for us,” said Webb.

As a leader, Webb is looking to maintain the winning culture at West while pushing the younger players at practice.

“It’s carrying over what we had last year, which is very high standards and being competitive at practice. I think if we can hold everybody to those high standards then we will see the results,” Webb said.

Another key returner for West is keeper Oceanna Orlandi, who enjoyed a breakout season as a freshman last fall. Now, as a sophomore, Sherer and his staff are expecting her to take another step forward as she is set to become an even bigger part of the program.

“Oceanna is here and is healthy. The majority of last year she was nursing groin injuries but played anyway, hopefully she can play this year healthy. With a little more experience she is going to be a phenomenal keeper, and that’s big because you need the team to have confidence in their keeper, which they do,” Sherer said.

The Falcons were one of the best teams in the state last season and were able to host a playoff contest for the first time in seven seasons when they took on North Kingstown in the quarters. The Skippers caught fire and would pull off the upset in penalty kicks and then go on to win the state championship.

Last year’s tough loss has motivated the returners, who are now looking to return to the postseason and take it a step further.

“The relationships last year were unlike any team that I’ve been on. We were with each other all day, every day. When (we lost), it hurt a lot so it’s in the back of my mind. You just have to build off of it,” Bachner said. “This is going to be a building year, but I have already seen connections growing.”

The Falcons will open their season on the road on Sept. 8 when they travel to take on East Greenwich. West’s home opener will by against East Providence on Sept. 12, with a pivotal Division I matchup against La Salle on the 14th on the road.