It would be easy to say that matching last season's third-place finish in the Ocean League is out of the question for the Morningside girls soccer team, which has a new coach and only one senior.

But with a balance of established players and young talent, the team hopes to return to the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs and surpass last season's first-round exit.

In her first coaching job at the high school level, Monica Pineda is confident in her team's ability to contend with league powerhouses like Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.

"We have a very strong team compared to some of the other teams in the league," Pineda said. "My goal is to get the team to first place."

Morningside lost five players to graduation, including second-team all-leaguer Heidy Torres.

Four-year letterman and first team all-leaguer Karina Ortiz plays sweeper and is one of only seven returning players.

Sophomore goalkeeper and second-year starter Janeli Rodriguez is the team's lone underclassman on defense.

Pineda has stacked many of her veteran players on defense and sees Ortiz and her fellow fullbacks as a big part of the team's success this season.

"They have experience, that's why I put them there. I play more defense than offense," Pineda said.

Morningside will start two freshmen at forward alongside junior Elena Ruiz, who scored 22 goals last season and was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year. Ruiz has received recruiting interest from UCLA.

Santa Monica: The three-time defending league champion is led by second-team All-CIF midfielder Samantha Green, who had 10 goals and nine assists last year. First-team all-league forwards Michela Fitten and Allison Gourvitz again will again anchor a potent Vikings offense. Sophomore and first-team all-leaguer Yanneth Guzman also returns. Junior goalkeeper Allison Bronstein will look to build on the success of last year, when she recorded eight shutouts in Santa Monica's 10 league games. Senior and captain Danielle Duarte has started at midfielder since her freshman year and will look to end her playing career at Santa Monica with yet another league title. The Vikings hope to make it past the second round of the CIF playoffs, something they couldn't do last season.

Beverly Hills: The Normans look to put last season's first-round playoff loss on penalty kicks behind them and hope that their 14 returning lettermen and nine starters can help them overtake Santa Monica for the league title. Ocean League Defensive Player of the Year Nikki Sharaf returns to play sweeper in front of the Normans' top sophomore, keeper Becca Gold. Senior Tess Callner and junior Jocelyn Brandeis were named first-team all-league last year. Senior forward Joey Sundy scored 13 goals last season and will provide some offensive punch off of the bench.

Hawthorne: David Cabezas takes over as coach of the Cougars and tries to turn around a program that disbanded in the middle of last season. Senior stopper Alex Jaime is one of only four returning players. Forward Katie Frizell is one of four freshman starters for Hawthorne.

Culver City: First-year coach and Culver City alumnus Scott Mair has only five starters returning from last season's fourth-place team. Elizabeth Hill is the team's only senior starter. League MVP Nicole Yamuri graduated last year and now starts at UC Riverside. Fullback Briony Pentecost is the team's only returning all-league player.

Inglewood: Idor Laurent is in his first season coaching the varsity girls program. Captains Nancy Plasencia and Maurisabel Quevedo will lead an offense that will be the team's strongest unit.