Giants hope increased firepower leads to women's soccer playoff berth
By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
It's been a long drought for College of the Sequoias' women's soccer team.
The Giants' last winning season -- and playoff appearance -- came in 2006.
But after watching Sequoias' men's team end a similar drought last season, second-year coach Elliott Hord believes his squad can follow suit.
"It took (men's) coach Renato (Bustamante) a little over a year to bring in the players he needed," Hord said. "I feel we've done something similar with the quality and depth we have now. I use (Sequoias men's team) as an example. The odds are against us. People see us as an underdog, and that's totally fine. We have to go out and prove it. (The men's team) did it. Why can't we? I think there's a little chip on our shoulders."
After scoring 18 goals through a 3-15 season in 2021, the Giants have already scored four goals during a 1-2 start to 2022: a 3-2 loss against American River on Sept. 2, a 3-0 loss at Bakersfield Sept. 9 and a 2-0 home win against Modesto Sept. 13.
Sequoias' season resumes at 1 p.m. Sept. 16 when it plays at Los Medanos.
The Giants have received goals from sophomore Elvira Garcia (Tulare Union High) and freshman Payton Lapp (Redwood) and two assists from freshman Izabel Pelayo (Golden West) so far. They also have two team goals.
Hord said he expects his team to be better offensively this season behind freshmen forwards Nikki Licon (El Diamante) and Idania Macias (El Diamante), sophomore midfielders Marycruz Nerto (Lindsay), Jahnessah Cavazos (Tulare Western) and Stayley Martin (Mission Oak), and freshmen midfielders Elizabeth Jasso (Redwood), Litzy Munoz (Mission Oak), Gissel Mora (Mission Oak) and Emma Lorenzi (Exeter).
"(Scoring) is what we were lacking last season," Hord said. "We didn't have enough firepower. We were in games, but just missing that little push. This year, we have more firepower than I think most teams will have to be honest. It's great to have that."
Macias is a particularly intriguing prospect, according to Hord, as she returns to school soccer for the first time since graduating high school in 2017. She produced 13 goals and 11 assists during her senior season at El Diamante.
"She's a machine," Hord said. "She can do it all. She has a knack for the goal. Once the ball is on her feet, she's thinking about scoring."
On defense, the Giants feature experienced sophomores in Madison Navarette (Redwood), McKenna Rodriguez (Hanford) and Savannah Noell (Golden West) and promising freshmen Perla Lopez (Redwood), Rxann Ramirez (Tulare Union), Soraya Gallegos (Tulare Union), Makayla Van Patten (Mt. Whitney), Asia Burrell (Tulare Western), and Alexandra Flores (El Diamante).
At goalkeeper, sophomore Katie Crawshaw (Kingsburg) returns, joined by freshmen Alyna Gonzalez (Monache) and Kenia Pimentel (Lemoore).
"I believe we are a playoff team," Hord said. "I think we can get to that point. We have the players. We have the depth. We have the pieces we need to make that playoff push. And once you make the playoffs, anything can happen. It's about getting that opportunity and I think that's a realistic expectation. With all of our hard work, I'm very confident in the girls."
The Giants have one more nonconference game -- 1 p.m. Sept. 23 at Sacramento City -- before opening Central Valley Conference play at 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at home against West Hills-Lemoore.
Sequoias' 14-game conference schedule concludes at 1 p.m. Nov. 11 at Merced. The Giants also face Clovis, Taft, Porterville, Reedley and Fresno City in CVC play.
