Dan Cromar / Roundup
Any team in any sport at any level knows the importance of beating tough opponents early in the season
These games are tests, and show just how good you really are.
For the women’s soccer team, yesterday’s game against rival Ventura College was the biggest test they’ve had all year.
And they passed it with flying colors.
The Brahmas (4-0-1) shut out the Pirates 2-0 in their home opener at the Soccer Pit, making a big statement in this young 2010 campaign.
Ventura came into the game as the seventh ranked community college team in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
“It’s big,” said Pierce head coach Adolfo Perez. “They beat us last year, and it’s always they win the North (Conference) and we win the South.”
Before yesterday’s game, the Brahmas had not beaten Ventura since 2006.
Both goals were scored by sophomore forward Erica Vangsness.
The first came off of an assist by Ani Eshoei in the 81st minute. The second came just two minutes later, also with an assist from Eshoei, on a perfectly placed shot from outside the box.
This was her second multi-goal game in a row, coming off of a hat trick against Golden West on Saturday.
She also brought her goal total for the season to seven, which, in just five games, is already more than half of the 12 she had all of last season.
“I came super late last year, so I didn’t really have a chance to come in and be a great leader,” she said. “But this year…I’m working hard; I’ve helped lead this team.”
Vangsness did not participate in summer workouts with the Brahmas in 2009, as she joined the team much closer to the start of the season.
“This year, she worked extremely hard in the summer,” said Perez. “She got lighter, she got stronger. She trained extremely hard…and that was the key.”
It was the key, not only for Vangsness, but for the entire Brahma team.
“It’s hard to come and play here,” said Ventura head coach Steve Hoffman. “We’re used to temperatures around 66 degrees. We got three kids with heat exhaustion at the end of that one.”
The shutout is the Brahmas third of the season, due in large part to the goalkeeping efforts of sophomore Marissa Graska. Her four saves give her 14 on the season.
“There’s no doubt in my mind we have the best goalkeeper in junior college in California, probably in the nation,” said Perez.
“She’s by far the best keeper we’ve had in my ten years, and we’ve had some good ones. This one, she’s special.”
While the Brahma’s victory was convincing, Perez did see some room for improvement.
“I wasn’t very happy in the first half,” he said. “We were getting beat to the ball. I don’t think we took a shot in the first half.”
His thoughts on the second half were the complete opposite.
“In the second half we made some adjustments and the girls played extremely hard and well” he said. “I was really happy with the second half.”
The team will get back on the road on Tuesday as they head out to Moorpark to take on the Raiders.
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