Girls’ soccer head coach Benjy Kent said when the season gets busy, like the past week, it is important to get back to the basics of why the team plays the game.

“We talk a lot about finding joy in the game. It’s so easy once school starts to get busy with academics,” Kent said. “It can start to feel a little like a job, thinking ‘I have to show up to it, I have to play hard.’ You forget about the fact that we are out there is to have fun.”

The team had a stretch of four games in six days, the first a tie against Cretin-Derham Hall, and the rest wins against Minneapolis Southwest, Bloomington Jefferson and Richfield.

Kent said although there are challenges that come with a busy week, many of the players are used to playing often, which helps with staying healthy.

“Most of these players have grown up playing daily, weekend tournaments where you are playing one game if not more a day,” Kent said. “So I don’t think it is the number of games per day or per week that increase the chance for injury, but it does make it tougher to allow you to play your best soccer.”

During a busy week like the orioles had, starting with an extremely hot and humid game against Cretin-Derham Hall, senior Annika Vignes said it is important to give as much effort as possible while still staying healthy.

“The heat was also a big (factor in the game), just because we were all really tired, so we all had to push ourselves while still staying healthy,” Vignes said.

The Oriole girls outscored opponents during this four game stretch 13-3, with many members of the team contributing, according to Kent.

“It’s a team sport so that is where our role players are big and step up. They do a good job of that. A lot of younger players are coming along nicely,” Kent said.

The Oriole girls’ next game is at 5 p.m. Oct. 5 at Benilde-St. Margaret’s.