Pirates open 2019 with tie, win at Ventura Tournament
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
West Valley () | 0 | 1 | 1 |
|
Orange Coast () | 0 | 2 | 2 |
VENTURA -- The Orange Coast College women's soccer team had a successful two days as the Pirates went 1-0-1 at the Ventura College Tournament on Thursday and Friday.
In the season opener, Coast overcame an early 2-0 deficit to salvage a 2-2 tie with Taft College. Micha Blaauw scored in the 27th minute to get OCC to within a goal at 2-1 and it stayed that way until Xandra Clevley tied the match up with a goal in the 64th minute.
Lynette Romero had the primary assists on both of the Pirates' goals, while goalkeeper Bryana Esparza overcame a shaky start with four big saves, keeping Taft off of the scoreboard for the final 65 minutes of play.
In the second match, Coast took on West Valley and used a pair of goals from Romero to pull out a 2-1 win.
After a scoreless first half for both teams, OCC found the back of the net first when Romero scored off an Delani Guyot assist in the 50th minute. Then, 11 minutes later, it was Romero again off an assist by Esparza to put the Pirates up, 2-0.
WVC made it 2-1 in the 65th minute when Caitlyn Trampenau scored off of an assist by Sara Prough, but Esparza (three saves) kept the Pirates ahead the rest of the way.
Coast picked up a pair of solid results against two top-tiered Northern California teams, which was exactly what the Pirates wanted to kick off the 2019 campaign. Both West Valley and Taft earned spots in last year's CCCAA State Playoffs and both should be in the postseason hunt this year as well.
OCC's first home match of the season will take place on Friday against Rio Hondo, beginning at 3 p.m.
