The Park University Gilbert women's soccer team was hoping to get their 2020-2021 campaign off to a fast start, but those hopes were dashed by a 6-0 defeat on Friday afternoon in Riverside, Calif. at the hands of La Sierra University.
The first 22 minutes of play featured stout play, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Those early minutes featured eight shots by the Eagles that were either blocked or saved by goalkeeper Savannah Brown.
After giving up two goals in a 51 second span, it seemed like the Bucs were able to shore up some of the woes from the 22nd minute. The Eagles attempted a whopping 23 shots in the game, but just five of them came between the 23rd and 59th minutes; four of those shots were saved by Brown.
Arguably the Bucs' best stretch of offensive play also came within this stretch. Two of their six shot attempts came in this span from freshman Alondra Castro and senior Michala Vereen.
"Alondra Castro was absolutely phenomenal for us today," interim head coach Joe Paulsen said. "She filled in in a role that she normally doesn't play and she surprised us. Her hard work and her ability to compete shouldn't go unnoticed. She had a heck of a game."
Although the loss was disappointing, Paulsen was proud of the progress made by the young squad.
"The girls continued their progressions in our early goings in our program and the building process," Paulsen said. "This one was tough, but I'm excited to learn and grow from this and see how much better this team can be going forward."
The Buccaneers will not have to wait long for a chance to redeem themselves, as they travel to San Marcos, Calif. on Sunday for a matchup with Saint Katherine.
MEN'S SOCCER
With a new head coaching regime in place, the Park University Gilbert men's soccer team was hoping to start their season by putting one in the win column. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers were not able to overcome two Eagles' goals in the first 60 minutes and fell, 2-1.
Offensively, the Bucs were competitive and got off four shots in the first half, but struggled to find the back of the net. Defensively, the Bucs were stingy and gave up just six shots to keep themselves in the game. Of those six shots, just two were on the goal, one of which gave them a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The Eagles tacked on a second goal in the 60th minute, but the Bucs responded 16 minutes later with a goal by Nicklaus Sullivan in his collegiate debut. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.
Freshman Dario Macias notched six saves in a solid day defending the net; five of his six saves came in the second half. Sullivan, Ismalia Baye and Jose Ramirez each attempted two shots.
Although the Bucs were disappointed with the loss, they showed a discipline that was not present last season- one that head coach Jonas Tanzer was happy to see from his young squad that featured nine freshmen starters on Saturday.
"We stayed disciplined, followed the game plan that we had decided on," Tanzer said. "We created some very good opportunities to take the game into overtime. Overall, a strong performance to build on."
Tanzer's team will also have a shot to redeem themselves on Sunday versus Saint Katherine in a 1:30 start time.
