Women's soccer hampered by player shortage
Jeremy Duvall
Issue date: 11/2/04 Section: Sports
Managing Editor
The home team was in trouble. It was minutes into the game and the frenzied attack of the Solano Falcons had the Lady Mariners back up on the ropes. The 0-8 College of Marin women's soccer team had started the afternoon hungry for their first victory of the season but, after a flurry of Solano offense, the Mariners were down 3-0 in the early minutes of the Oct. 8 contest.
"Monica, you got to own the box," coach Katie Moore yelled to her keeper Monica Quiroz. Quiroz flung herself in front of another shot on goal by Solano, trying desperately to keep COM in the game.
For a moment, the momentum seemed to shift and COM pressed its offense into Solano territory - but one of the few shots it would have on goal all game, a right-side attack by midfielder and co-team captain Hillary Loew, was stopped by the Solano keeper.
COM had a couple of good scoring attempts towards the end of the first half but was unable to convert. As the first half came to a close, COM was down 6-0.
COM came into the second half like a wounded animal, biting at any attempt to get on the scoreboard. After Solano scored again the Lady Mariners lost what momentum they had in the second half and soon found themselves back in the familiar position of playing defense.
The small COM team began to show its size weakness as it ran out of substitution players. Other team members who had been on the field for most of the game began to slow down.
Defender and freshmen Ann Ramirez showed her grit as she, along with captains Loew and Shoshanna Jestadt, tried to put COM on the board during the closing minutes. Solano's defense would stand strong, shutting out the Mariners with a final score of 9-0.
"I had to go around the first week recruiting players," said coach Moore after the game. With only four players returning from last year's squad of 17, it has been a challenge rebuilding the women's soccer program, according to Moore. The program was inactive in 2001 and restarted in 2002.
"It's a problem all junior colleges face," said Moore. Since so many students come and go at the junior college level, it's hard to keep players on the team, according to Moore. "They are trying hard," she said. "We are getting better every game."
The home team was in trouble. It was minutes into the game and the frenzied attack of the Solano Falcons had the Lady Mariners back up on the ropes. The 0-8 College of Marin women's soccer team had started the afternoon hungry for their first victory of the season but, after a flurry of Solano offense, the Mariners were down 3-0 in the early minutes of the Oct. 8 contest.
"Monica, you got to own the box," coach Katie Moore yelled to her keeper Monica Quiroz. Quiroz flung herself in front of another shot on goal by Solano, trying desperately to keep COM in the game.
For a moment, the momentum seemed to shift and COM pressed its offense into Solano territory - but one of the few shots it would have on goal all game, a right-side attack by midfielder and co-team captain Hillary Loew, was stopped by the Solano keeper.
COM had a couple of good scoring attempts towards the end of the first half but was unable to convert. As the first half came to a close, COM was down 6-0.
COM came into the second half like a wounded animal, biting at any attempt to get on the scoreboard. After Solano scored again the Lady Mariners lost what momentum they had in the second half and soon found themselves back in the familiar position of playing defense.
The small COM team began to show its size weakness as it ran out of substitution players. Other team members who had been on the field for most of the game began to slow down.
Defender and freshmen Ann Ramirez showed her grit as she, along with captains Loew and Shoshanna Jestadt, tried to put COM on the board during the closing minutes. Solano's defense would stand strong, shutting out the Mariners with a final score of 9-0.
"I had to go around the first week recruiting players," said coach Moore after the game. With only four players returning from last year's squad of 17, it has been a challenge rebuilding the women's soccer program, according to Moore. The program was inactive in 2001 and restarted in 2002.
"It's a problem all junior colleges face," said Moore. Since so many students come and go at the junior college level, it's hard to keep players on the team, according to Moore. "They are trying hard," she said. "We are getting better every game."