Women's Soccer Team Can't Find Hero, Ties Zero-Zero

Santa Monica College Corsair Joycelin Hill (10)(left) splits The Saddleback College Gauchos for a goal position on the Corsair Field in Santa Monica, Calif. on September 7, 2016. The Corsair’s tie 0-0. (Daniel Bowyer)

Photo by: Daniel Bowyer

There are some days in the Beautiful Game where goals rain down like a thunderstorm. But when the Soccer Gods aren’t smiling upon you, the Beautiful Game turns into a complete grind.

Such was the case for the women’s soccer team with their 0-0 draw against the Saddleback Gauchos. Although they ended the game in a shutout, the Corsairs' highly defensive play didn’t put any balls in the goal.

“It takes a lot of focus; a lot of people don’t realize how hard it is to finish in front of the net,” Coach Crystal Sanchez said. “We created enough chances, but I think we need to focus and be a little more composed in front of the net.”

Saddleback matched the Corsairs’ defensive effort and managed to get a couple nail-biting crosses in the box, but the Corsairs effort proved too much and no shot found its mark behind goalkeeper Emma Romero Roberge.

Roberge even sacrificed her own body and took a foot to the face to save a diving shot by a Saddleback forward, who then received a yellow card for the play.

Late into the second half, team captain and midfielder Delmy Luna went down with a quad injury and was escorted off of the field by the trainer. However, the Corsairs’ energy would not falter and they fended off Saddleback to close out the match nil-nil.

“We’re just going to keep fighting; I think we’re doing a good job of grinding through and playing the brand of soccer that we’re trying to play. With a little bit more focus, and a little bit more energy, once we start getting the pieces together I think it’ll come,” Coach Sanchez said.

In the post-game huddle, Coach Sanchez urged her players to ice up and get rest after the long physical game. But the Corsairs might just want to head straight to Mammoth after this shutout.

Women’s Soccer takes on the Chaffey Panthers at home next Tuesday, September 13th at 4:00pm.

Editor's note: The headline was updated to more accurately reflect the story. The story was also updated to fix the name of the goalie Emma Romero Roberge, who was originally identified as Jasmine Rodriguez.