Tough opening weekend for Rams in Ventura

Daniela Del Carlo (10) dribbles down field on Thursday night at Ventura. (Photo courtesy VC Athletics)
Daniela Del Carlo (10) dribbles down field on Thursday night at Ventura. (Photo courtesy VC Athletics)

VENTURA – The 2024 City College of San Francisco women's soccer season got off to a rough start at the highly-competitive New Balance Community College Showcase at Ventura College over the past weekend.

Facing a pair of the top teams from Southern California in 2023, the Rams came up with a 1-1 draw against host Ventura in their season opener on Thursday and suffered a 2-1 loss to Cypress College to close out the event on Saturday.

CCSF and Ventura battled in a tight Thursday night contest. With the game scoreless for the majority of the game, sophomore Paige Pineda-Aliamus continued where she left off last year by scoring the Rams' first goal of the season in the 79th minute to give San Francisco the late 1-0 lead.

The Rams appeared to be on their way to the season-opening victory but in added stoppage time, a long desperation shot by Ventura sailed over the head of CCSF goalkeeper Bailey Perales for the equalizer. The final game whistle was blown just moments after the ensuing kickoff.

On Saturday, the Rams faced a Cypress squad that advance to the 2023 state championship final. Angelina St. Denis scored CCSF's lone goal in the 60th minute off the assist from Pineda-Aliamus in the 2-1 loss.

Perales posted 4 saves in goal for the Rams.

CCSF, now 0-1-1 overall, returns to action on Friday (Sep. 6) when the Rams host Reedley College in a 4 p.m. non-conference game.