Joshua Christopher
Junior forward Ryan Kaneko defends possession of the ball during Sunday's game against the University of California Santa Cruz.
California Lutheran University’s women’s soccer team tied with the University of California Santa Cruz on the Regals’ Senior Day on Sunday.
“Our goals for the season, despite today’s tie, is just to continue to grow our chemistry as a team. Every team is going to come at us with a lot of intensity cause they wanna knock down the champs but I think for us it’s just, continuing to stay stuck in and continuing to get better every half of every game, and getting some more goals and times to celebrate with our team,” senior defender Avery West said.
Before the match, the Regals took time to honor and celebrate the seniors on the team.
“What makes it so special to be on Regals soccer is the family environment. I transferred here and I’ve never felt more welcome to come into this team,” senior defender Ellie Ruhoff said. “They welcomed me with open arms and I couldn’t ask for a better team.”
The first half did not see a goal from either team. In the second half, UC Santa Cruz struck first with a goal giving them a 1-0 lead. However, with just over six minutes remaining, the Regals tied the game on a goal by graduate forward Nevaeh Rascon.
“It was the best feeling in the world, I mean to be here on senior day and all my family and friends here so, it was incredible but honestly we worked, my team worked really hard to get that ball to me so I think it was very special and it shows what we’re capable of and if we just continue to work hard for each other, we can pull those off,” Rascon said.
Senior forward Jazlyn Campbell said that playing soccer has taught her valuable lessons that have applied to her life.
“Some skills I’ve developed in soccer are how to communicate with others in times of chaos or where it’s hard to actually communicate clearly, and that just transferred into my life,” senior forward Jazlyn Campbell said.
Senior center back Madie Fahey said that it is important for players to maximize their time on the field and learn through the process.
“The advice I’d give is just to make the most out of every single opportunity that you get on the field and to learn from others,” Fahey said.
The Regals will face Whittier College on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. at home, as the team aims to build on its season and continue its pursuit to another championship.