The Clovis Community women’s soccer team’s offensive struggles continued on Friday night in the Crush’s 2-0 defeat against the LA Pierce Lady Brahmas.
Both teams struggled the first twenty minutes to get any sustained possession of the ball to build up an attack at goal.
The Crush and LA Pierce combined for two shots in the first half hour.
Twenty-five minutes in, LA Pierce got its first real scoring chance on a shot from 30 yards out that sailed just over the crossbar and harmlessly to the ground.
In the 30th minute, the Crush put together the best scoring chance of the match for either team on an overlapping ball down the right sideline that was crossed into the 18-yard box.
The ball initially eluded the grasp of LA Pierce keeper Bailey Swain as it was deflected off of her and sat less than a foot from the goal line before the keeper could dive on the ball and deny the Crush opening goal.
LA Pierce finally broke through in the 39th minute when Sofia Caparelli struck a ball into the far corner directly after a free kick to put the team up 1-0.
Less than two minutes later, Crush’s Brianna Garcia broke free and chased down a long diagonal pass down the right sideline, but was unable to take advantage of the chance as she lofted a shot just a couple feet over the crossbar, leaving her visibly frustrated.
The 45th minute saw the Lady Brahmas extend its lead on a penalty shot by Diana Millan that glanced off of the Crush keeper Angela Petrakis and nestled into the near corner of the net to give them a 2-0 at halftime.
Each team had three shots on goal in the first half, but one team took advantage of its attempts on goal and the other didn’t.
The second half started much like the first, except instead of not capitalizing on scoring chances, the Crush just didn’t generate many to begin with.
Crush defenders did their best to keep the team in the game and actually held the Lady Brahmas to fewer shots on goal. But in order to win, team’s have to capitalize on the chances that are presented.
And the Crush were unable to do so.
Head coach Orlando Ramirez said that his team had trouble building a rhythm and completing passes, which led to the offense being unable to create solid scoring opportunities.
“I think for us, we just had a hard time really connecting and linking passes today,” Ramirez said. “We didn’t really have a rhythm that allowed us to continue throughout the game to get be able to get more chances. We will have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to create more.”
With a record of 2-5-2, the Crush have one more game at Moorpark to get the offense on track before Central Valley Conference play starts October 15 at West Hills.
Mens Soccer: Clovis 5, Cabrillo 2
For the mens soccer team at Clovis Community, playing at home has become somewhat of a fortress for Chad McCarty and his men.
Since the start of the season, the Crush have played five games at home and have won all five games.
And in those matches, the Crush have outscored their opponents 23-3.
In other words, the Crush mens soccer program is boasting a goal differential of plus 20 at home and on the road, the Crush are 1-2-1.
But, thankfully for soccer fans in Clovis, last Friday was a doubleheader.
The mens team took on Cabrillo and put on a show as four different Crush athletes got onto the scoresheet.
Former Buchanan standouts Jordan Wilkins and Tyler Ferguson pitched in three goals combined, while Andres Nunez and Carlos Osuna each got onto the scoresheet.
Before Friday’s home match against Cabrillo, the Crush last played at home in a 5-0 win over Chabot and in the game, Wilkins came in shortly into the first half to turn the game upside down in favor of the Crush and on Friday, he flashed his game-changing ability.
In the very first minute of the match, Wilkins found the back of the net to kick the game off 1-0 in the very first minute.
The Crush only continued their form in the 19th minute after Wilkins set up his former Buchanan teammate Ferguson for the second goal of the game, 2-0 in favor of the Crush.
And four minutes later, Wilkins sprinted the length of the pitch, slotting home the ball for the Crush three-goal lead.
Within 25 minutes, the Crush had a three-goal lead, but the visitors were determined to scratch back. They did just that in the 35th minute after Maxence Huin opened his account.
Clovis community boasted a 3-1 lead and never looked back as goals from Nunez and Osuna sealed the Crush victory.
The Crush now look towards a league-opening showdown with cross-town rivals, Fresno City.