Rams Women’s Soccer Blanks Canada Colts

By Jack Gillen

jackhg57@gmail.com

The Rams women’s soccer team shut down the Canada Colts with a 3-0 win Friday, Nov. 3, led by Amaya Jarzombek (11) with a hat trick. This win put the Rams on an 11-game undefeated streak and ensured they remained on top of their conference.

The Rams got to work early, constantly pressuring the Colts defensive line. They gave little opportunity for the Colts to score, having an advantage of 17-7 in shots and maintaining possession for most of the game.

After 15 minutes into the first half, Paige Pineda Aliamus (16) set up a perfect cross for Jarzombek. It did not take long for the duo to connect again, as three minutes later, Aliamus gave another assist to Jarzombek to score the second goal of the game.

Everyone on the team emphasized that it was a team effort, including Jarzombek. “Everyone played good. It’s not just me that scored. They’re team goals.” She added, “They had really good defenders on the wide, but we broke them apart in the middle. I think that was their weakness, so we just targeted and aimed for that.”

Aliamus commented on how their team chemistry has grown throughout the year, saying, “At the beginning of the season, it was a little rough, but now we are starting to actually play. We are definitely connecting more as a team than we did at the beginning of the season.”

The Rams continued to apply pressure and maintain possession until the break. However, the Colts started to show some life on offense in the second half. Still, Ram’s defense held firm, and the shutout would not have been possible without Yvette Moreno (14) stepping in as keeper for Paolina Molina (0), who was injured during the game.

Coach Jeff Wilson was very vocal about Yvette’s performance, saying, “Yvette played really well, and she also had the win on Tuesday as well. She is a special talent and told me early on that she could play keeper. She’s proved it every time she stepped out there.”

When asked how she felt about moving from her usual position of F/M to Keeper, Moreno said, “I don’t like to lose, I’m very competitive, and I was willing to do whatever it took for the team to win.”

Moreno also expressed how she could not have done it without her teammates. “I knew Gaby (Reyes) would go ahead and get the ball for us. My defenders help me out all the time. As a goalie and as a center-mid. Arpan (Bahia), a center-back that we have, has all my trust in the world.”

Although all of Ram’s defense played great, one of the best defenders of the day was not someone who usually plays defense but rather midfield, Amelia Gale (6). She was matched up against Rachel Mull (25), who has 17 goals this season, but thanks to Amelia, she made zero on the day. “She played on my club team in high school, and I think playing with her in the club made it a lot easier to defend because I knew what she would do,” Gale said.

Wilson also commented on Gale playing defense for the past few games, saying, “We made that adjustment this week because we thought we needed someone at the six, defensive mid. Amelia is one of our best-attacking players, but she did it for the team.”

The Rams held strong on defense for the final 20 minutes of the second period and continued to pressure the Colt’s defensive line. Jarzombek got her hat trick at 85 minutes in with an assist from Fatima Waldo Garcia (22), ending all chances of the Colts mounting a late comeback.

This game and the previous wins reflect the team’s willingness to do whatever it took to win, and they have been able to adapt and overcome any challenge thrown their way this season, including playing positions that they are not used to. The Rams will continue to try and extend their undefeated streak on Friday, Nov. 10, at Gavilan College.