COS women's soccer off to strong start

By Nick Giannandrea

For College of the Sequoias Athletics

With better health and improved scoring capabilities, College of the Sequoias' women's soccer team is putting a disappointing 2019 season in the rear-view mirror.

The Giants are off to a 2-1-1 start heading into a home nonconference match Friday against Cuesta (4-0-0). Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. from the college's campus field.

COS started 0-4 last season and finished 2-15 overall after losing several players to injury.

"We've upgraded our squad a little bit," Giants coach Ryan Rowland-Smith said. "And we've got a good group of sophomores returning. It's helpful having some kids who have had a go-around already."

After averaging 0.76 goals per game last year, COS is scoring at a 2.25 goals-per-game clip this season, number boosted following a 4-0 victory at Sacramento State on Tuesday that featured goals from Caitlin Albison (Harmony), Joana Guerra (Woodlake), Kamryn Berry (Tulare Western) and Gloria Silva (Mt. Whitney).

"Last year, we struggled scoring, and that made it tough winning games," Rowland-Smith said. "We can put the ball in the net this year. It makes a difference when you can do that. Now we can compete."

So far, the Giants have received two goals each from Albison, Joana Guerra and Berry, and once apiece from Silva, Viviana Alvarado (Tulare Western) and Andrea Rios-Alvarado (Mission Oak). 

Joana Guerra and Maria Corral (Farmersville) each have two assists while Briana Guerra (Woodlake) has one as the Giants have started the season with a 2-2 tie against Allan Hancock, a 3-1 victory over Oxnard and a 1-0 loss to Bakersfield.

"In the past, we always had one or two (women) who would be able to score," Rowland-Smith said. "Now we have four or five who are pretty capable of scoring consistently."

In addition to having more goal-scorers, Rowland-Smith has a more experienced group overall with nine sophomores after playing with only five last year.

Albison played last season at Fresno City before transferring to COS, Berry is back after taking last season off and Guerra is returning from an injury that wiped out her 2018 season.

The Giants' six other sophomores - Briana Guerra, Shanik Plascencia (Mt. Whitney), Natalie Yanez (Caruthers), Shaylize Davis (Tulare Western), Janet Rodriguez (Farmersville) and Stefani Gomez (Golden West) - all saw significant action last season.

COS' freshmen class includes Briana Guerra, Corral, Silva, Alvarado, Rios-Alvarado, starting goalkeeper Ciana Koo (Woodlake), Maria Camacho (Lindsay), Madison Gonzales (Tulare Union), Alessandra Reynoso (Woodlake) and Pricilla Mancilla (Tulare Union).

Koo has made 24 saves and allowed only four goals in 318 minutes in the cage.

Rowland-Smith was pleased with the turnout of local players this season and hopes to keep even more at their home community college moving forward. Fresno City has six players on its roster from Tulare County, while West Hills-Lemoore as three.

"It's difficult when some of your best local players are on opposing schools," Rowland-Smith said. "Hopefully this year we can make an impact and be competitive and in the next few years we can keep more of that local talent local."

COS opens Central Valley Conference play on Oct. 15 when it hosts perennial power Fresno City at 1 p.m.