Senior forward Mariel Lopez is pretty philosophical about her game for East Aurora.
She takes the approach of a Socrates, making her quest about solving problems and finding answers. And in that manner, Lopez is always looking for ways to make things work.
“A lot of times the game is in my mind, and when I dribble with the ball, I’m in my own flow state,” she said. “Whenever I get a shot off, sometimes it goes in and sometimes it doesn’t.
“You always have to keep trying.”
Lopez kept going Thursday night, scoring her team-best ninth goal in the 68th minute to seal a 2-0 victory for the host Tomcats over Fenton in an Upstate Eight Conference crossover game.
Freshman midfielder Miley Pereida also scored in the 48th minute off a pass from sophomore forward Aly Rodriguez for East Aurora (6-2-1).
Sophomore midfielder Beila Hernandez set up Lopez’s goal that put the game away.
As a four-year starter, Lopez knows to never get discouraged by plays that go against her. Perseverance is her calling card — in every situation.
“You have to fail before you succeed,” she said. “That’s just the way the game is. You’re going to fail and fail and fail, but eventually it’s going to work out and there will be a positive impact.
“I have my teammates I always rely on to get me the ball, and that pushes me to be better and get the ball in the net.”
Lopez’s combination of poise and consistency, while always living in the moment and ready to take advantage, has marked her outstanding play. And it has elevated her team.
Senior midfielder Chelsea Fuentes, a captain like Lopez, said her teammate’s desire for excellence distinguishes every part of her game.
“She was made to be on the field,” Fuentes said of Lopez. “I’ve known her for a long time, and Mariel just has passion. She’s always ready, always prepared for the moment and fighting for it.
“She’s a challenger. Even at practice, she’s always pushing us to be the best that we are capable of. The way she is on the field is how she is in life — sometimes shy but really comfortable and fun when you get to know her.”
The youngest of three sisters, Lopez has another reason for joy. Her middle sister Jennifer, who also played for the Tomcats and Aurora University, is a first-year assistant coach in the program.
“My siblings were older, but we all grew up playing soccer together,” Mariel said. “We’d compete. I remember playing in the backyard and we’d get in trouble for sending the balls over the house.
“At that age, I was competitive and I liked to win.”
Jennifer Lopez said her younger sister radiated a belief in her talent at a very young age.
“She was ultracompetitive,” Jennifer said. “I was older, but she always knew that she could hang. I specifically remember when she was 7 years old. She was in a tournament final and made a shot from midfield.
“Obviously, it was a smaller field, but when I saw her take that shot with confidence, I just knew that one day she was going to be a star. Her playing does her talking for her.”
Having her sister as a coach marks a specific bond, but Mariel also sees those connections with her close-knit team. Her success is also theirs.
“I obviously like to attack a lot, and I like to go in there and try to get the ball into the back of the net,” Mariel Lopez said. “The most important part is connecting my players.
“It’s more beautiful when it’s a team goal and not just mine alone.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
