Cape junior Vanessa Linares (17) led the Seahawks with a hat trick and multiple assists in the District 5A-11 tournament opening win Monday night. To view more photos from the match, see the Cape Coral Breeze Facebook page. MICHAEL PISTELLA

The Cape Coral High School girls soccer team began their postseason journey with a commanding 8-0 game-shortened win over Island Coast (3-13) in the first round of the District 5A-11 tournament.

Junior Seahawk Vanessa Linares led the way with a hat trick and multiple assists on a windy night at Cape High.

While the scoreboard showed a one-sided match, and it was, Seahawk (11-6-1) head coach Lenny Volberg felt there was a lot to be desired.

“Honestly, not our best performance by any means, but we have history with Island Coast and the girls know who they are and what they’re about so they came in confident – a little overconfident,” he said. “The score reflects that we’re a better team but bottom line is we could be better.”

Swirling and gusting winds all match long played some trickery when it came to throw-ins, goal kicks and shots. Despite the environment, Linares played with poise and controlled the direction of play with or without the ball. Not to mention consistently placing corner kicks in great spots dealing with unpredictable gusts.

Cape junior Emma Kennedy (9) takes a shot during a District 5A-11 tournament opening win Monday night. To view more photos from the match, see the Cape Coral Breeze Facebook page. MICHAEL PISTELLA

She opened the scoring in minute four, netted her second in minute 31 and completed the trifecta in minute 57.

“Vanessa brings so much to our team — her confidence, strength and her passion to score. That’s what she wants to do is score, and she can do it,” Volberg said. “She’s come up clutch for us in many games.”

Other goal scorers for the Seahawks included juniors Katy Henry, Emma Kennedy, Destiny Lowe, and two from junior Katelyn Bly, who scored the eighth and deciding goal in minute 63 with a forceful strike from just outside the box that hit the bottom of the crossbar and came down into the goal.

Cape will next face Ida Baker (9-8) in a semifinal match at North Fort Myers High School on Wednesday night.

“The message is confidence, passion, and playing the way I’m teaching them to play,” Volberg said of going forward in the district bracket. “That’s the message every practice, every game. We’ve just got to keep building off of what we’re doing every week.”

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj