Women's Soccer Opens With Hard-Fought Win

The VC women's soccer team opened its 2024 season with a hard-fought 2-1 result over College of the Canyons Friday at the VC Sportsplex. Lex Sahagian and Yaraby Herrera each scored goals for Ventura (1-0) while Leslie Torres led the defensive effort against the Cougars. Janessah Gonzales and Sibella Donnelly shared goalkeeping duties in the game for the Pirates.

Ventura went on the offensive early, controlling the action playing in the Cougars' end of the field. Herrera had a nice shot from the right side in the 12th minute that was deflected to Sahagian, whose rebound shot sailed over the crossbar. 

Eight minutes later the Pirates sent off a barrage of shots. The first was saved by the COC goalkeeper and another ricocheted off the far post. Sahagian then settled the ball in front of the net and slotted a shot through three closing defenders to the left side of the net for VC's first score of the season. 

Both teams settled in for the final 25 minutes of the opening half with the Pirates' defensive back line of Jessica Aguilar, Torres and Tanaya Moreno keeping COC away from Gonzales in goal. Ventura led at halftime, 1-0.

VC appeared to take full control of the match in the 51st minute. Melanie Torres hit a beautiful through ball to the center of the field to Herrera, who maneuvered around the charging goalkeeper before tapping the ball into the empty net for a 2-0 Pirate lead.

Canyons, however, found a spark with a goal in the seven minutes later to cut the Pirates' lead in half.

VC's Eli Padilla had an excellent run down the left side in the 61st minute before she was taken down inside the penalty box by a Cougar defender.  Ventura was unable to convert the penalty kick, however, and the Canyons save seemed to give COC renewed energy.

The final 30 minutes was an intense affair with Canyons controlling much of the action in the Pirates' end of the field. The VC defense with Donnelly in goal held fast, despite the strong effort from the Cougars, and the Pirates held on for the 2-1 victory.

VC produced 11 shots during the contest with 7 being on goal while COC had seven shots with three on frame. 

The Pirates will next host the New Balance Community College Showcase beginning on Thursday Aug. 29. Ventura take on San Francisco on the opening day of the showcase at 7:45 pm.