Ram’s make the best of a gray day

Cassie Stansberry #8 and Brenda Flores #28, jump for the cross late in the 2nd half of Friday’s home game against Ohlone College. (Photo by Niko Plagakis)
Cassie Stansberry #8 and Brenda Flores #28, jump for the cross late in the 2nd half of Friday’s home game against Ohlone College. (Photo by Niko Plagakis)
Cassie Stansberry #8 and Brenda Flores #28, jump for the cross late in the 2nd half of Friday’s home game against Ohlone College. (Photo by Niko Plagakis)
Hannah Mikles #16 and Brenda Flores #28, regain possession of the ball from Ohlone College on Nov. 7 at City College. (Photo by Niko Plagakis)
Hannah Mikles #16 and Brenda Flores #28, regain possession of the ball from Ohlone College on Nov. 7 at City College. (Photo by Niko Plagakis)

By Patrick Cochran

The Guardsman

The Rams women’s soccer team salvaged what could have been a gloomy day, and ended up with a 1-1 tie versus Ohlone College on Friday, Nov. 7.

Late afternoon was quickly turning to dusk, and the San Francisco fog was flowing down the hillside. Taking a 1-0 lead before halftime, Ohlone looked like they would have an easy second half with the playing conditions making it very hard to play effective team soccer.

“The darkness and the fog definitely made it harder to see our teammates at times,” Hannah Mikles said, a sophomore midfielder. “But we compensated and made the best of it, and we were able to get the tie today.”

With 30 minutes left in the game, Rams forward Katrina Voris saved the afternoon for her team. She dribbled the ball fast down the field on a break and baited the defender towards the right half of the field, and then quickly split down the center to get passed her.

Ohlone’s goalkeeper made a fateful decision to challenge Voris as she shot the ball low to the ground with the perfect amount of touch.

The ball rolled into the back left of the net and her teammates celebrated tying up the game versus tough competition in miserable weather.

“We had a really good team effort,” Voris said. “The weather made it harder for us, but I am really happy we were able to come back from 1-0 and tie the game up.”

The game started at 3:40 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. because one of the referees was late getting to the game. California Community College Athletic Association rules require three referees for all soccer games, so both teams were forced to wait.

A week ago the slight delay wouldn’t have been much of a cause for concern, but with daylight savings time the previous Sunday, the wait was getting everybody anxious. Luckily the third referee arrived with enough time to get the game in before the sun set.

“We had good ball movement and shots on the net, and we played much better in the second half,” said Head Coach Gabriel Saucedo.

Despite the poor visibility, the Rams put their best foot forward in moving the ball around to teammates on the field.

“That we were able to regroup after being down tells you something about our team. It didn’t begin the best for them, but I am proud they were able to come back,” said Saucedo.

The Rams are now 9-2-5 as they begin the final stretch of their season before state playoffs.