The Brahmas shined under the Friday night lights of Shepard Stadium, snapping a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Desert Rams of Victor Valley College.
The win brings Pierce’s record to 6-2-1.
Pierce controlled the ball and field for most of the game, however Victor Valley struck first with a goal in the 37th minute. Midfielder Alexis Lopez, returning from a knee sprain, answered right back for Pierce, igniting the Brahmas and the crowd.
The crowd was vocal all night at Shepard Stadium, which is an advantage the Brahmas don’t normally have at their games down at The Pit.
“There’s a lot of energy,” head coach Adolfo Perez said. “You can hear the fans. We don’t get that at our place. They get pumped up.”
Leslie Ramirez, forward, shares Perez’s sentiment about the crowd.
“I live for Friday night lights,” Ramirez said. “The atmosphere, everything. The crowd, the energy, it’s how a home game should be.”
Ramirez assisted on the eventual game-winning goal with a cross that midfielder Adriana Sosa headed into the back of the net. Ramirez pushed the Desert Rams defense throughout the game with multiple shots on goal.
But Ramirez nearly didn’t play in this game. In the previous game she received a yellow card for misconduct when she cussed out the official, and then clashed heads with Perez, refusing a sub afterwards.
“That’s why she didn’t start,” Perez said. “We met with the team and that’s what they had decided to do. We respect the team a lot so it was a mutual decision between the team and the coaching staff.”
Ramirez knows she was wrong, and looked forward to this game.
“I felt like Friday was definitely a chance for me to redeem myself and show the girls I want to be here. I’m here for them and I want to work hard,” Ramirez said. “I want just to play and just go out there and do what I came to do, just play soccer. Get a W and assist or score, so I’m glad we got the result that we needed.”
The Brahmas needed the victory after dropping the last two games against Chaffey and Ventura College, both games at home. With two games left before the start of conference play, it is even more important for Pierce to be playing well.
“This is a game that we needed, you hate to go into conference on a downer,” assistant coach Willie Diaz said. “We still have Taft and Oxnard, so one more week until conference starts for us.”
The Brahmas next game is at home in The Pit against Taft College on Tuesday Oct. 4 at 4 p.m., followed by a trip to Oxnard College on Friday Oct. 7 at 2 p.m.
