Women’s soccer defense holds tight

Three goals in five games. That is the number of goals the women’s soccer defense has allowed since the beginning of the season. While the offense has still yet to find its rhythm, the defense kept LA Valley College to a scoreless draw away at LA Valley on Sept 20.

It seems that Coach Reggie Rivas is building this year’s squad from the back forward. The defense, headed by Bailey Shaw, has kept opposing teams away from the goal.

When asked why they were doing so well, Shaw said, “I think that the girls are getting along with each other, and able to communicate well. We also have a great goalie that works her butt off. I think that before we start winning we have to build in the back and work up.”

In the two prior games, the midfield was having problems connecting their forward passes with the forwards. But that was not a problem in this game as the passes were right on the mark for Amanda Papic, Cassandra Saavedra, Lizbeth Rodriguez and Helena Macintosh. Although Macintosh left with an injury in the middle of the first half.

Cassandra Saavedra connects with the LA Valley goalkeeper Athena Del Rosario at LA Valley College on Sept 20, 2013. With the defense holding strong the games ended in a scoreless draw. (Courier/Benjamin Simpson)

Alexandra Martinez’s corner kicks were dropping right in the center of the box, but no one was able to put them away.

Two pieces of the puzzle—defense and midfield—for this years team seem to have connected, once the third element—scoring goals—comes together, they could be a team to be reckoned with.

In the second half especially, the ball almost never left the LA Valley half, as the Lancers pushed forward over and over again.

“Defense is doing great, we are keeping possession. We dominated this game, we were all over them, we had our chances,” Rivas said.

In the first half the Lancers received a penalty kick, which was taken by Isabella Montano. She hit the ball hard and low toward the right corner, but the ball hit the post and bounced out wide.

“We are going to score, the ball was right there on the line, multiple times,” Saavedra said. “We are going to do fine. During the league we are definitely going to be better than last year. We are there, it’s just that we can’t score.”