Soccer Game Preview: Arlington vs. Mater Dei

The Arlington Lions will wrap up 2025 with a road trip to face off against the Mater Dei Monarchs at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Arlington saw some tournament action on Friday. They fell just short of Santa Ana by a score of 2-1. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as Arlington came into the match with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' California soccer rankings (they are ranked tenth, while Santa Ana are ranked 463rd).

Meanwhile, Mater Dei kept a clean sheet against Godinez Fundamental on Friday. They ended the year with a bang, routing the Grizzlies 6-0. James Obleda was a massive factor in the win as he booted in three goals all by himself.

Mater Dei's win bumped their record up to 5-0. As for Arlington, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 5-1.

Arlington couldn't quite get it done against Mater Dei in their previous matchup back in December of 2024 as they fell 4-2. Can the Lions avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.