The Los Medanos College women’s soccer team ended the 2017 season in second place with an overall record of 12-6-2 after recovering from a slow 0-3-1 start. It was an impressive turnaround for a team that just a year ago finished at the bottom of the Bay Valley Conference with a record of 2-11.

Sophomores Vanessa Kualapai and Autumn Kish led this year’s team, along with a great supporting cast in Sydney Torrano, Emma Spears and Norma Jara Ruiz.

The three losses at the beginning of the season came when the Mustangs were still trying to build chemistry and find the fire they needed to win games. The team found its stride and was able to pick up big wins in the second half of the season, keeping the Stangs in the hunt for one of the top two spots in the Bay Valley Conference.

“I’m very proud for how this season ended, and how we came together as a team,” said first captain Kualapai, explaining how well the team grew together and how they kept having fun playing the game they all loved.

“I think in the first half we were still learning how to play with one another, and once the second half came around, we started to connect, and everything started to click,” she continued.

Once that happened, the Mustangs went on a wild ride, going on a seven game win streak to end the season after finding themselves at 5-6-2. “We ended up really bonding on and off the field,” said second captain Kish.

Throughout the season, the key factor to the team’s success was the connection every player had with one another. For those able to watch the team from the sidelines, there was never a dull moment. There were laughs and smiles all around before, during, and after the game. One thing head coach Zach Sullivan preached to the team toward the end of the season was to “play each game like it’s your last.”

The players took it to heart, and it was off to the races for the Mustangs as they scored a total of 28 goals during their winning streak.

The sophomores left their mark, but the future will depend on returning freshman coming back to play for next year’s team as it is their turn to lead the team to battle.

“I think the way we finished will give the returners the confidence boost they need to do well and it’ll give new players hope on doing even better than we did next season,” said Kish.

Now it is time for the process to begin once again for the Mustangs as the road to the 2018 soccer season begins now. For more information, visit http://www.losmedanos.edu/Soccer/