After a slow start to its season, the San Diego Mesa College women’s soccer team has seen a marked improvement over the last several weeks with former Mission Bay Buccaneers forward Stella Murphy being an integral part. Murphy, a sophomore, was named team captain for the Mesa College Olympians thanks to her continued impressive play at the next level.

“She’s a great player who is super enthusiastic and brings a lot of energy to the rest of the team,” said Bucs girls soccer coach Jorge Palacios.

The turnaround at Mesa College has been noticeable since Sept. 13 as the Olympians have won nine out of 11 matches with eight of those being shutouts and by a combined scoreline of 58-1.

“Stella always has a positive attitude and she’s also a scrappy player,” Palacios added. “She makes the game so much fun.”

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Mesa College women’s team has already surpassed its win total from last year, when it went 9-7-3. On Tuesday, it earned its 10th victory of the current season, a 5-0 road victory over City College.

With three games left in the regular season and a 9-3 record in the conference, the prospects of finishing with 13 wins seem plausible. The remaining opponents are Cuyamaca, San Diego Miramar, and Palomar, which Mesa College has already defeated by a combined score of 14-1.

For this to happen, Murphy must continue being an integral part of the pitch just like she was in her secondary school days with the Bucs.