The first game of the season, and the inaugural match on the new turf field did not go as hoped for the Mariners Women's Soccer Team as they fell to Las Positas College 10-0 on Tuesday. Despite the early setback the 21 Woman squad has the team primed for their best campaign in years.
The game itself was forgettable in many ways, other than providing a chance for the team to see the field together as a single unit. The Las Positas Hawks executed a precision attack that saw them score four times in the first ten minutes of the match. The Mariners countered with a much better remainder of the first half but the score line sat at 5-0 at halftime.
The second half saw both teams rotate squads to maximize playing time for all uniformed players. The Mariners managed just a single shot on goal through the Hawks stingy back line. Sophomore Disa Johansson played all over the field, as an attacker, as a midfielder and as a central defender at different points of the game. Sophomore Elise Perez did well in central defense when paired with Johansson but it a tough time in the back regardless.
Johansson and Perez represent the only two upperclassmen on a large squad. The team boasts 19 Freshmen of varying ages and experience levels. Several players hail from Marin high schools including, San Rafael, Novato, Redwood, and Marin Catholic. The team recruited from far and wide as Hannah Bourke attended high school in Vermont and Amelia Nopper in North Carolina while Odaiclet Piccinini is from Venezuela.
Several players showcased their versatility in the opening match as Wendy Fullam transitioned mid game from midfielder to goal keeper. She did an excellent job between the sticks, allowing three goals while saving 11 shots in 40 minutes. Vanessa Miller started the match up top, but dropped into a defense role as the game required. Jurany Pohl did an excellent job as an outside mid. She continuously looked to attack the Las Positas defense with a couple nice runs into space.
While the result was disappointing to Head Coach Andrew Jones, the team was anything but, "I think we played very well at times," said Jones "While the score was certainly lopsided, we had several very encouraging spell of play. Given the time until our next game, we will hammer our issues and play much better the next time around"
Marin travels to De Anza College on Friday, September 7th for a 4pm showdown with the Dons.