On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the first home game of the season for the Moorpark College men’s soccer team took place. The Raiders faced off against Santa Clarita’s College of the Canyons in a match ending in Moorpark’s first victory of the young season, a strong 2-0 win.
Before the game began, the crowd could sense the tension as the teams prepared during their pre-game warmups. Leading up to the start of the game, Moorpark had to adjust the positions and placements of some players. These changes came as they were heading in without their original team captain due to an undisclosed illness.
From the onset of the match, it was clear that Moorpark wanted to focus on their defense against their opponent’s offensive play style. This early defensive emphasis stemmed from the home team’s unfortunate loss last Friday, Aug. 23. It was a close game at Pasadena City that took a turn for the home team due to a free kick five minutes before full-time.
Rebounding from the game on Friday, the team showed genuine effort throughout this match. Appointed freshman team captain Diego Estrada was asked to comment on Santa Clarita’s strong offensive start.
“We just [have] to trust like the process that our coach and our backline has, especially like today,” Estrada said. “I felt like we were exceptional playing out of the back so I wasn’t too worried.”
Nearly 23 minutes into the match’s first period, a corner kick against Santa Clarita allowed Moorpark to land their first goal with a fantastic play into the net by Shane Donis. Only seven minutes later, at the 30-minute mark, a strong hit into the net by sophomore Rudy Maravilla cemented the final score.
This wasn’t to say there weren’t any close calls for the home team. At several points throughout the match’s second half, College of the Canyons picked up their offense in an attempt to equalize. Freshman goalie Darius Marsh intervened throughout the game, keeping the away team from scoring goals.
It was clear the team was focused on playing together. After the game, Maravilla shared his thoughts about the team’s finishing ability.
“In a soccer match, you know, if you really want to play until the end, you got to play all out until the full 90,” Maravilla said. “I think my team did that perfect today.”
Maravilla’s sentiment was echoed by the team’s Head Coach, Jake Gwin. Gwin praised his young, talent-ridden team for their shutout win, but he knows there is always work to be done.
“I think today was a good performance and a good result,” Coach Gwin said. “There’s things that we can always do more, but I think the belief is there.”
This win was a great rebound for the team, leaving Moorpark’s men’s soccer team spirits high for their upcoming away game against Victor Valley on Friday, Aug. 30. With a 1-1 record on the season, the Raiders will no doubt be looking to keep the winning streak alive through the weekend. The Moorpark College community can expect to see a strong output from the team this season.
