Strong preseason start for the Corsairs
On Friday, April 11, the Santa Monica College (SMC) women’s soccer team opened its doors for the first time this semester at the Corsair Stadium. Playing in a unique three 30-minute-halves spring scrimmage against Las Estrellas Football Club (LEFC), they defeated Las Estrellas, 2-0.
The Corsairs, preparing for the upcoming fall 2025 season, hosted Las Estrellas in a scrimmage, as the next few games this spring semester are seen as the developmental phase for the Corsairs.
“It's spring, so everybody gets a chance to play. … The girls have been working really hard. We're in a development phase, … graduating old players, bringing in new ones, … leadership is changing on our team, so it's like all those things it's nice to see all that stuff kind of come together,” said Corsairs’ head coach Aaron Benditson.
The defending Western State Conference champions took the opportunity to make this game a lighthearted event as banter from the Corsairs bench was heard throughout the game.
Rolling into the seventh minute of the game, Corsairs’ forward Erica Bautista toe-poked the ball into the net from inside the box to open the score as they celebrated their first goal back in Santa Monica. The Corsairs controlled the first half with SMC having many opportunities to score but failed to convert their chances of doing so.
During the game, some players on the opposing team wore blue SMC athletic jerseys, as Las Estrellas didn’t have enough players. The Corsairs, to help them out, gave a few of their own players to help fill the opposing team roster for some time.
Corsairs’ defender Sepalle Nseke played for the Corsairs during the first half. Then, once the second half started, Nseke changed into the SMC athletic jersey to defend for Las Estrellas. Once the third half began, she switched back into her SMC soccer jersey to defend for the Corsairs once again in the final half.
During the second half, the Corsairs remained in the lead but missed shots from forward Zuleyka Ortiz, center midfielder Mia Shoua and defender Jessica Narez, kept them from extending the lead as Las Estrellas fought to stay in the game.
Only in the third and final half did the Corsairs seize an opportunity to score, as a cross from Narez fell into the feet of midfielder Karla Torres and she powerfully kicked the ball into the back of the net to put the Corsairs up, 2-0.
As the referee blew the whistle to end the scrimmage, the Corsairs, after three halves, came out on top. “It's always nice to not get scored on and to score goals. So that's something to build off of. … We only get a chance to play so few games in the spring. … It's nice to play somebody other than ourselves and beat ourselves up, you know,” said Benditson.
The Corsairs will look towards the final stretch of their preseason campaign against Santa Barbara City College at Santa Barbara on May 2 and Clovis College at home on May 9.