(L to R) Betsabet Corrales and Isabel Diaz go head to head in a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
Sofia Caparelli places the ball down on the field for a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
Diana Millan plays against Melody Luna in a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
Jessica Palmer plays defense during a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
(L to R) Cierra Savin and Nirmolakpreet Kaur go head to head during a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
The Pierce College Brahmas play against the Irvine Valley College Lasers on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
Sofia Caparelli goes against two players from the opposing team during a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
(L to R) Betsabet Corrales and Kayla Acosta go head to head in a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
Diana Millan kicks the ball during a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
Kayla Acosta kicks the ball across the field in a game against Irvine Valley College on Aug. 30, 2019, at Pierce College’s John Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif. Pierce lost (2-1) on their second game of the season. Photo by Angelica Lopez.
For the first time in two years, Brahmas’ soccer played at John Shepard Stadium as they hosted Irvine Valley College in their home opener.
However, it wasn’t a happy return for Pierce as they lost 2-1 to the Lasers.
Head Coach Adolfo Perez was disappointed with the result but believes more experience will help the team finish their chances.
“My least experienced team in 19 years. Certainly, we should have won this game,” Perez said. “It is very hard when they shoot and it is almost a goal. We have to keep digging and hopefully we find a way.”
Injuries have also become an obstacle as the team tries to return to the playoffs for the 19th consecutive season.
“We have a very fragile team. Every game we have girls that go down. You can’t win like that,” Perez said. “A former athletic director will joke with me saying you never had a bad year. Maybe this is the year.”
Both teams went into the game 0-1 after the Brahmas lost to Chaffey College 7-2 and IVC lost to San Diego Mesa 5-0.
Midfielder Nirmolakpreet Kaur opened the scoring for Pierce on a pass from Jessica Palmer after goalie Heather Miller failed to control the ball, giving Kaur an open goal to score.
A freekick from Marissa Banos tied the game for the Lasers. Goalkeeper Joanna Cerda made contact with the ball but failed to control it.
Both keepers were heavily involved in keeping their team in the game.
In the second half, Diana Lugo gave Irvine a 2-1 lead.
Midfielder Kayla Acosta said they were pushing to get a win, however that led them to get tired quickly.
“We worked hard and since we kept putting the pressure in the game, we became exhausted quickly because we are not used to playing here,” Acosta said.
Towards the end, midfielder Diana Millan thought she had scored the equalizer, but it was waved off for offside.
Millan was frustrated that the goal did not count for Pierce.
“It should have counted. According to [the officials], it was offside. It is incredible because the last 15 minutes were ours and we should have gotten something more from this game,” Millan said.
The Lasers improved their record to 1-1 while the Brahmas dropped to 0-2.
The Brahmas next game will come against Cerro Coso on Tuesday at 6 p.m. All their home games will take place at Shepard Stadium.
