Defensive battle ends 0-0
Offense had limited chances, goalkeepers strong
The Lady Mustangs tied their league competition, the Mendocino Eagles, 0-0 on Oct. 6, taking their overall record to a mark of one win, two ties and five losses. It’s difficult to say if the team has turned it around a since the start of league, as they have recorded one win, two ties and two losses in the Bay Valley Conference.
Tuesday’s game at home saw LMC’s women start off strong, controlling the game relatively well and creating a few chances to score. Mendocino held their backline strong, so there weren’t many chances for LMC’s offense to get anything going, other than a few passes finding their wingers.
Both teams had their chances in the first half, but Goalkeeper Randi Strain for Los Medanos College had a solid half, recording a few saves and having a strong outing in the goal kick and drop kick department. Strain has been consistent in goal, anchoring a defense that Coach Bryant hopes to one day develop into something that looked like his when he was at Chico State. Strain seems to think it’s all about the team’s chemistry on the field.
“Our chemistry is getting better,” said Strain. “We didn’t really have any in the beginning, but we have come a very long way since then.”
One problem that can start to answer the question of why the team’s season is becoming a lost one, is the players have issues when it comes to traveling in away games. LMC’s best chance of scoring is getting the ball to number 13, striker Autumn Kish. Even when the player is on the field, the team struggles to score goals, one can only imagine how much they struggle when she’s not on the field.
“Autumn is one of our best players, and is our best scoring option on offense,” Head Coach Mark Bryant said. “When she’s not on the field, it really hurts our team and we struggle to get anything going on offense.”
The only real action that happened Saturday was LMC’s number 21 Janessa Vreonis going down in the second half. The wing player appeared to go up and try to win the ball in the air, but when she came down to the turf, she must have landed awkwardly, as she stayed down. She would have to be helped off of the field, and had not returned to the game.
Vreonis was another player who was succeeding in making things happen, beating Mendocino defenders on a number of occasions and getting a cross in. But when she went down, it didn’t look good. Trainer Brian Powelson had to wrap Vreonis’ knee with ice and Coach Bryant thinks his player just might be out for the season.
The women’s soccer team’s next home game is Tuesday, Oct. 13 against the College of Marin Mariners. But, they will look to improve on their nil-nil tie at home against Mendocino Friday, Oct. 9 at Napa Valley College in their next game.
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