The Los Medanos College Mustangs made history Nov. 19 at home by earning the first-ever postseason win for the women’s soccer program. The competition was fierce despite the biting cold, making the victory under the lights all the sweeter.

Going into the game both teams knew that it was a fight for survival, and they fought hard right from the beginning. For LMC this game was the chance to become the first team in the college’s history to win a playoff game. 

Nine hard years and seven playoff opportunities led to this moment, said head coach Zach Sullivan. Victory was not going to slip away this time.

This team’s strength is their aggressiveness, the plan was to use that hunger to put pressure on their opponents, Las Positas.

“Run your legs off in the first ten minutes,” said Sullivan in the pre-game huddle.

The team followed these commands, creating scoring chances as soon as the game kicked off. Several amazing chances fell to LMC striker Alondra Tellez. One of them right in front of the goal, a hard shot only stopped by a strong save from the Las Positas keeper. LMC’s entire forward line consistently beat LPC defenders time after time for chances at the goal, but the Hawks held on by the skin of their teeth, keeping the score even.

Once the initial burst subsided though the Mustangs got nervous. Their usual dominant midfield started to slip, incomplete passes, poor coordination plagued them for the rest of the half. 

“We were definitely consumed by nerves in the beginning,” said LMC’s Kelsey Imrisek-Kawalkowski. “All of us were a little shaky. We’ve played this team before, we won. But coming into a new game, they’re going to come back stronger, and it’s nerve wracking.” 

“It’s playoffs,” she said. “If you don’t win, you’re not playing again.”

Near the end of the half LMC got their fire back. Their offense got into the zone, pushed more into the offensive end. While the score remained 0-0 for the rest of the half, the Mustangs were showing themselves as the better team going into halftime.

After the break, LMC came back focused. They held their own in the first half and knew they could win, all it would take is a spark.

The Mustangs immediately looked better, moving faster and completing more passes. The defining moment of the game came around five minutes into the half, when Imrisek-Kawalkowski, one of LMC’s most prolific scorers, received the ball in front of the box.

Rocketing a powerful shot that soared over the defense and struck the post as the crowd held their breath. The ball rebounded out into the six yard box when LMC’s Addison Judd flung herself forward and tapped the ball in, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

They had found their break.

“Honestly I thought Kelsey had that,” Judd said after the game. “but like any shot you want to follow up on the opportunity, and that’s what I did.”

LPC, now falling behind, knew their season was on the line and made sure to respond quickly, mounting pressure on the LMC defense. With the stakes being so high, both teams pushed a little harder than normal, with yellow cards flying due to the intense nature of the game.

“Sometimes it gets physical,” said Imrisek-Kawalkowski. ‘That’s what makes it so fun.”

The crowd loved the passion of the game, and the large turnout definitely brought the energy up for the Mustangs.

The Mustang train could not be stopped and play after play in the offensive end kept the Hawks on their heels, fighting tooth and nail just to survive.

LMC’s Tete McCarthy eventually broke through and managed to receive a perfect thru-ball from Tellez right in front of the goal. She took a touch, an LPC defender closing fast, she took three steps and prepared to shoot with history on the line.

“SHOOT!” The crowd shouts as McCarthy just got the shot off, placing it into the bottom right corner. The Mustangs’ advantage doubled.

Above: LMC’s No. 20 Tete McCarthy scores LMC’s second goal of their Nov. 19 game against Las Positas College. (Koen Steers)

The Mustangs outlasted the Las Positas College team’s last-ditch efforts. The final whistle blew as the score ended 2-0, LMC. The hard work by the whole team throughout the season made this historic victory possible. 

“This game means a lot,” said LMC’s Maya Alvarez. “We just made LMC history right there.”

The team will bring their victorious spirit to their next playoff game at Cosumnes River College Saturday, Nov. 22, hungry for their next win.

Below are more photos from the game