Jesuit senior Natalie Webber, who scored 32 goals last season, has scored 13 goals through four matches. (Photo by JR Olson)

It will be hard for Jesuit's girls soccer team to top 2025.

The Crusaders not only went unbeaten and repeated as 6A champions – tying Catlin Gabel for the state record with 17 state titles – but coach Steve Fennah became the state's all-time wins leader and they finished the year ranked No. 3 in the nation by US Soccer Coaches.

Judging by early results this season, though, Jesuit hasn't skipped a beat. The Crusaders, No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 6A coaches poll, have outscored opponents 16-0 in winning their first four matches. They have defeated No. 2 Lincoln 1-0, No. 7 Lake Oswego 3-0 and co-No. 5 West Linn 6-0 in a rematch of last year's state final.

Jesuit is ranked No. 2 nationally by US Soccer Coaches.

“It's a different feel, different group, but we're playing quite well,” Fennah said. “We lost some key players in important positions that were really influential for us. We're trying to put the new pieces in place, and we're kind of making our way.”

Georgetown-bound senior forward Natalie Webber, a 6A first-team pick and the team's leading scorer the last two seasons, is off to a sensational start. She has scored 13 goals, including five against West Linn.

Considering Webber had surgery in the spring on her meniscus and missed about two months, her early scoring spree is an excellent sign for the Crusaders.

“We thought we might have to ease her back into it a bit more, but she's come in flying,” Fennah said of Webber, who had 32 goals and 14 assists last season. “Her finishing has been excellent. She's been striking the ball really well. Her movement has been good. And she's held the ball up front, as well.”

Webber's penalty kick late with about 10 minutes left was the difference in the 1-0 home win over Lincoln on Sept. 3.

“Lincoln gave us everything we could handle,” Fennah said. “They probably deserved something out of that game.”

Jesuit is counting on the leadership of seniors captains Webber, midfielder Lucy Thomas and defender Vega Arancibia to make up for graduating four starters off last year's team. One of the biggest losses was 6A first-team defender Jo Frischknecht, a four-year starter who has moved on to a college career at Montana.

“There's no substitute for a senior like Jo who had so much pace and creative ability,” Fennah said of Frischknecht, who was among the team's leaders in assists.

The other returning starters from last year's championship game are junior defenders Eva Stiles and Ellie Covington, junior midfielder Estelle Lee (14 goals in 2025) and senior goalkeeper Sofia Vera. Junior midfielder Eva Hairston, who had 17 goals last season, also has returned.

The team suffered a setback when junior forward Aaliyah Johnson (14 goals in 2025) left Jesuit to be home-schooled and focus on her soccer opportunities. Johnson has committed to UCLA.

“She was an important player for us, so we're obviously disappointed,” Fennah said. “But we understood her goals.”

Fennah said that Johnson probably would have played up front opposite of Webber, but instead that spot is occupied by Hairston, who has two goals. Diversifying the offense will be a key factor for the Crusaders' postseason chances.

“We need to make sure that we're finding some others that can put the ball in the back of the net so it's not so heavily reliant on Natalie,” Fennah said. “That will come, I think.”

Fennah is hoping that the offense will develop much like it did last year, when the Crusaders outscored their foes 113-9.

“Last year was a little bit of a surprise,” he said. “Going into the season there was a lot of new pieces, but we had really good leadership. They just gelled really well. We had the ability to score goals from all over the place.”

Jesuit has won seven of the last 10 state titles. The Crusaders have a chance at their first three-peat since 2017 to 2019.

“We don't talk about the state championship. We talk about, nobody outworks us,” said Fennah, who has coached Jesuit to 11 state titles. “But I'm sure in the back of the players' minds is the fact that some of them have just won two and have a chance to win a third.”