Pierce College soccer team’s seven-game winning streak came to an end Tuesday, Nov. 5 as the Ventura College Pirates defeated the Brahmas 2-1 in Ventura.
Ventura had it’s way with the Brahmas during the first 30 minutes of action dominating time of possession and putting shots on goal. It was only a matter of time for the Pirates when sophomore midfielder Amanda Tewes rebounded the ball in front of the goal post in the 16th minute and put it in to the back of the net to give Ventura a 1-0. Five minutes later the Pirates struck again when sophomore forward Taylor C de Baca crossed a shot from midfield and put it into the right side of the net to make it a 2-0 game.
The Brahmas defensively looked scattered throughout most of the first half, unable to settle the ball and give the offense an opportunity to score. Tewes and sophomore Guadalupe Magana were moving the ball with efficiency making smooth, crisp passes and stretching out the Brahmas defense throughout much of the first half.
Pierce head coach Adolfo Perez wasn’t disappointed about the loss but how it happened.
“It was a great game and I am not as mad about the loss as to how the goals were given up” Perez said. “Those goals could’ve easily been prevented.”
Sophomore Shawnie Moore was able to respond for the Brahmas with a highlight shot. With two players defending her with the ball from 30-yds away, she split the defense and then crossed a shot from 31-yds away with her left foot into the right side of the net for the Brahmas only goal.
The game got physical toward the end of the first half when Pirate defender Marissa Reyna was issued a yellow card in the 35th minute for a dangerous slide tackle. Ten minutes later Brahmas midfielder was issued a yellow card for pulling down a Pirate player by the jersey before the first half ended.
“It was a really physical game,” freshman midfielder Michelle Somers said. “But once again giving up those two goals really cost us the game. We pretty much beat ourselves”
In the second half the game was played very crisply with both the Brahmas and Pirates connecting on passes with each team going back and forth possession to possession.
“It was a beautiful game to watch from both teams,” Ventura head coach Steve Hoffman said. “With Adolfo’s team no matter how talented his team is they always work hard and play hard.”
Perez agreed with Hoffman’s assessment.
“It’s pretty funny how we played horribly in our first game and won against Ventura,” Perez said. “Then we play our second game well and lose.”
In the end though the Pirates 12- were able to hang on for the victory and keep their playoff hopes alive. Coming into the game, the Pirates placed third in the Western State Conference south division needing a win against the Brahmas. With the win the Pirates now move into a tie for second with Pierce and their next game being played on Friday against first place Santa Barbara. Hoffman said that he’s not worried about the conference rankings as much as placing the importance on getting into the playoffs at all.
“Just because you don’t win conference doesn’t mean that you still can’t have success in the playoffs,” Hoffman said. “One year a team of mine didn’t win conference, yet that same year we ended up being in the final four of the state tournament.”
For Pierce the next three games are going to be crucial to the team’s success with the two of the final three being played on the road. The Brahmas can breath a sigh of relief slightly with two of the three teams having below 500. records.
“We have to win the rest of our games,” Perez said.
