They were undefeated. They were the nation's top-ranked team.

And then they were runners-up.

When the Cardinal Gibbons girls' soccer team lost on penalty kicks in last year's Class 4A state championship against Ponte Vedra, the result was something none of them saw coming.

``It was definitely heartbreaking,'' junior midfielder Sarah Motta said. ``To go so far, go undefeated all season and to lose on penalty kicks, it almost seemed unreal.''

Nine months later, it's time for the Chiefs to start again.

Their season began Tuesday night with a 6-0 win at Coral Springs, and they're hoping that's the starting point for another successful season.

``It's hard to go 28-0-1, but we have to come out this year and show'em what we've got again,'' midfielder Sara Trexler said.

Three have graduated from last season's team, but the 2009 group retains a strong core and feels confident it can return to Tampa for another chance at the state title that fell out of reach.

Still in goal this year is senior Haylee Shoaff, who saved two of six penalty kicks in the championship game. She used to get down on herself for missing penalty kicks, but when she went to visit colleges in the summer, she realized saving even one meant she was ``amazing.''

``And I saved a couple, so it was perfect. And it actually meant that I was good,'' Shoaff said, her confidence restored.

Returning players Trexler, Motta and Macy Huskey, Katie Crittenberger and Jenny Grant should account for most of the team's offense.

And as far as new faces, freshman Jackie Kinni is getting lots of praise from her teammates and coaches.

``She's a very calm player who helps them settle down and goes from there,'' Flack said.

The Chiefs don't expect to go undefeated again. They lost their two preseason games 2-0 each to Plantation American Heritage and Delray American Heritage, and though both of those opponents went to states last year -- Plantation won the Class 3A title -- Gibbons understands there's plenty of work to be done.

``These girls realized they're not ready right now,'' Flack said. ``The moments of the games that we played together and it all clicked, we looked great. And there were just other times when it just wasn't happening.''

``It's not going to be as easy as it was last year,'' Shoaff said. ``We just can't get full of ourselves like, `We were undefeated last year, we're going to GO undefeated this year.' ''

OUTLOOK AT DOUGLAS

The situation is similar at Douglas, which lost 3-0 in the 6A title game to Melbourne.

Douglas coach Stu Katz wouldn't go so far as to say his team overachieved last season, but he said the Eagles were pleasantly surprised to find themselves in the state final.

The loss didn't linger for long.

``We were upset about it, and the next day we were like, `Think about what we've got for next year,' '' Katz said.

They were a young team last season and they're still young this year, starting only three seniors out of 11, which means they'll have plenty of room for growth as the season goes on.

The biggest piece they lost is goalkeeper Kelsey Wys, but sophomore Victoria Danchak already has a big game under her belt. While Wys was away with the U.S. Under-20 National Team, Danchak was the netminder for the Eagles' 3-1 win against Cooper City in the regional quarterfinals.

``She's really mature physically as a goalkeeper and as a person,'' Katz said. ``We're pretty excited about her.''

Douglas also has plenty of offense, as last season's high scorers -- Kelsey Allphin, Sami Pineda and Emily Bolinsky -- are still wearing maroon and silver.

``I think we've got all the parts,'' Katz said. ``Now if we can just put them together.''

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