Teamwork & Talent: San Francisco Rams Charge Toward Finals After Opening Win
By Cassandra Young
cyoun140@mail.cccsf.edu
The San Francisco City College women’s soccer team made a statement on Friday, Sept. 6, when they overcame a deficit to win their inaugural game against Reedley College. This victory over the Tigers conveyed more than just the Rams’ focus on winning a championship this year.
San Francisco set the tone for the type of encounter that was to be expected from the outset. Throughout the game, they did not give Reedley much room to maneuver because they were a formidable passing team and played solid defense. However, they also consistently applied strong pressure to the opponentʼs defensive line. As a result of their play, the Rams were able to capitalize on their opportunities and repeatedly get the ball past the keeper while maintaining intense pressure on the opposing defense. Thanks to the efforts of players who were among the gameʼs top performers, the Rams were able to score several times by getting the ball beyond the goalkeeper.
For Carmen Hinton, this is only the start of a long road. It is her victory. During the days’ match, she remarked that this was only a sneak peek at what she had been working on for months. “I believe that with leadership from Coach Jeff Wilson and the rest of the coaching crew, this will be our year.”
Hinton’s teammate Ivina Square expressed similar confidence while providing a realistic assessment of the task ahead. “Today, we played one match, and we were good in the first half. Itʼs far from finished,” Square added. She was quick to acknowledge the team’s coaching staff, including assistant coaches Alejandro Munoz, Matt Favella, Lindsay Kauffman, and Nasser Abdulkarim, for their role in the team’s discipline and preparedness.
“They remain a motivation for us to be the best as we go through each day.” The Rams advanced as a team and played with great vigor, which head Coach Jeff Wilson had been instilling throughout the preseason. Kauffman, Munoz, Wilson, Abdulkarim, and Favella have all worked together to promote the values of hard work and teamwork. One fan commented, “You can see the hard work on the turf; this team is made for championships.” The excitement among the crowd matched the fervor of the Rams’ supporters.
The supporters seemed to enjoy every move the Rams made, which helped keep them upbeat as soon as the squad took the field. The Rams have had a fantastic start to the season, and while todayʼs victory was a huge accomplishment, they know it is only the first step. The Rams are focused on the prize, which is the championship—even though they have a challenging season ahead of them. If they continue to perform as they did today, they are on the right track.
