by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 26, 2009 | Student Voice Edited Stories-Fall 2009
Photo by Tony Sintic
Published on November 21, 2009
Ara Ortiz
Assistant sports editor
The traditional 7-10 seed upset was inevitable in the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs, as the Moorpark College Raiders beat the Oxnard College Condors on their home turf 1-0 Saturday afternoon.
In the first half of the game, both teams led potent offensive attacks against the other team.
The Raiders were able to score the lone goal of the game on an Oxnard mistake. There was a battle for the ball on the Condors’ side of the field, and in the battle, the ball reflected off a Condor player, resulting in an own-goal score, giving the Raiders an early holiday gift in the process.
Both offense had opportunities to score, but could not find a way to get their shots into the net.
At the start of the second half, the Condors came out playing fast and strong on offense, putting the Raiders on their heels. The Condors shot on goal multiple times, but were unable to score.
In the waning minutes of the game, the Condors were in mere desperation to score. When on offense, the Condors would move the ball up field and lob it into the goalie’s box hoping someone would head it in or get a foot on it, but to no avail.
As time expired, the Raiders celebrated the road win at mid-field.
Despite having home-field advantage, Condors head coach Ross Greaney knew it would be a tough game.
“That’s how playoffs games are, intense and hard fought,” he said.
Even though the Condors lost, gaining a disappointing first-round exit, Greaney was happy with his team’s performance.
“Our players did well. I thought we played well,” he said. “We created chances for ourselves and our goalie made some important saves.”
The Condors ended the season with an impressive 11-6-4 record. The Raiders move onto the second-round of the So. Cal Regionals, which will start Tuesday, Nov. 24. The team they will play, as well as the time and place, is to be announced.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 20, 2009 | Student Voice Edited Stories-Fall 2009
Photo by Robin MacDonald
Published on November 17, 2009
Michael Prieto
Staff writer
The Moorpark College Raiders rolled over the Oxnard College Condors in three straight sets (25-13, 25-12, and 25-10), becoming the 2009 Western State Conference champions for the second straight year.
The match started out very close, withthe Raiders and the Condors knotted up at 2. However, the first set quickly became a blowout, as the Raiders jumped out to a 13-4 lead behind their up front height advantage and their great overall defense. The lead would balloon to as much as 21-7, but the Raiders let up towards the end of the first set.
The Condors brought the score to within ten points, 23-13, but that was as close as they would get in the first set. The Raiders closed it out with plenty of breathing room at 25-13.
The Raiders had to battle for the second set, until they captured an 8-6 lead. The Raiders were once again able to pull away and take a 21-10 lead. The Raider defense and frontline play was becoming too much to handle for the Condors, and the Raiders took the second set 25-12.
The Condors were continually overpowered in the third set, with the Raiders taking a 10-3 lead. The Raiders never looked back, and extended the lead to 16-5 before completing the match sweep by winning the third set 25-10.
The victory was one of many positive moments for the Raiders on Sophomore Night; they also cruised to a second-straight WSC title. The Raiders had been working towards this goal all season.
“I think we played together all season and it helped us to reach our goal,” sophomore Olivia White said.
The Raiders begin first-round play at home Nov. 24. The game is set to start at 7 p.m.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 10, 2009 | Student Voice Edited Stories-Fall 2009
Photo by Jeffrey Farrar
Published on November 6, 2009
Dan Lovi
Staff writer
The Moorpark College women’s soccer team clinched the Western State Conference title in a battle against Ventura College Friday, scoring on a desperation header in the winding seconds to end the game in a draw.
An up and down game came to an unusual end when Raider forward Kendall Dreyer was able to get her head on the ball and hit it into the back of the net.
The Raiders (13-0-4, 8-0-2 WSC) aggressive attack as stoppage time winded down set up Dreyer for the header off a corner kick, with virtually no time remaining.
The tie game was enough for the unbeaten Raiders to clinch the Western State Conference championship with two games left in the regular season.
The Pirates (14-4, 6-2 WSC) opened up the game quickly with a goal from Jazmarae Strozier in the 5th minute off a corner kick. The Pirates were the early aggressors, but momentum shifted back and forth throughout the game.
Dreyer tied the game in the 32nd minute with a strike after the ball was deflected off of several players. The Raiders seemed poised to take control of the game, pushing the ball for most of the first half.
However, the Pirates were able to heat up on offense, and scored in the 37th minute when forward Monique Orocio headed in a goal off a corner kick.
The second half was up and down, as both teams controlled the ball for long stretches. Down 2-1 for most of the second half, the Raiders were able to get a couple of shots on goal but failed to score.
Seemingly out of time, the Raiders made one last push to score, attacking with all their players. Even the goalkeeper was hovering around midfield.
The applied pressure got the Raiders a corner kick and one last chance to score. The ball flew into a crowded box where Dreyer somehow got her head on the ball and drove it into the back of the net.
Dreyer’s second goal, the all-important equalizer, sent the Raiders team into frenzy and brought upon a disheartening look amongst the Pirates.
The Raiders bench cleared in celebration, and for good reason, with the tie disguised as a victory, sealing a second conference title in three years.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 10, 2009 | Student Voice Edited Stories-Fall 2009
Photo by Tony Sintic
Published on November 6, 2009
Michael Prieto
Staff writer
The Moorpark Raiders took it to the Allan Hancock College Bulldogs, easily sweeping the Bulldogs in three sets (25-13, 25-18 and 25-19) in a match that was never really in question.
The first set was somewhat tightly contested early, though the Raiders were simply keeping the Bulldogs in the match by not playing well. However, the Raiders began to impose their will on the set, taking a 12-10 lead and pulling away by extending it to 17-10.
At this point, the Raider frontline began to dominate the set and gave the Bulldogs very little chances to score. The Raiders would outscore the Bulldogs 13-3 to close out the match and that would set the tone for the remainder of the game.
The second set was much more contested by the Bulldogs early because the Raiders were diverting too much from their powerful frontline. Once the frontline began to take over, the Raiders would begin to pull away.
Trailing 11-6, the set was still somewhat within reach for the Bulldogs until sophomore middle blocker Rachel Olinyk served up two aces to push the lead to 13-6 making the hill that much steeper for the Bulldogs. The Raiders would let the Bulldogs get no closer than five points for the remainder of the set as they would finish it out 25-18.
The third set was much more difficult for the Raiders as they started off slow, trailing the Bulldogs 2-0. The set was tightly contested between the schools, when they were tied at seven.
But the back-and-forth battle did not last long, however, and the Raiders started to pull away, using a 10-3 run to take a 17-10 lead.
However, the Bulldogs stormed back, pulling to within three points, giving the Raiders a narrow 20-17 lead. Despite the comeback, the Raiders front line would prove to be too much for the Bulldogs, and the Raiders completed the sweep, taking the third set 25-19.
The Raiders’ dominance could be put to the test when they face second-place Santa Barbara City College on the road Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Raiders have a one-game lead over the Vaqueros in the WSC standings.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 10, 2009 | Student Voice Edited Stories-Fall 2009
Published on November 9, 2009
Shoaib Najmuddin
Staff writer
The Moorpark College men’s soccer team defeated the reigning Western State Conference champions 1-0 and handed them their first conference loss of the season Friday afternoon at Moorpark.
Raider Captain Luis Gutierrez scored the lone goal in the 25th minute to lead the Raiders (8-2-6, 6-1-4 WSC) past conference foe Santa Barbara City College (8-5-6, 8-1-3).
Guitierrez put the Raiders on the board when forward Josh Hibbert sent the ball down the field, which led teammate Jose Garcia into the box to the left of the Vaquero goalkeeper Ricardo Placencia.Garcia and Placencia collided in an attempt to reach the ball. As the loose ball rolled out, Gutierrez followed the play, and struck a shot into the open goal.
The Raiders thought they had a goal early on a shot by Hibbertin the 12th minute. Hibbert’s shot was from about 19 yards out and Placencia jumped up to stop the shot but bobbled the ball. It looked like the ball crossed the goal line, but the linesman never signaled a goal and the game remained scoreless.
The Vaqueros best chance to tie the match came when forward Peter Aguilar had a good look at the goal from about 14 yards out with 11 minutes to play in the half. Aguilar ripped a shot, but it was easily handled by Raider goalkeeper Victor Gonzalez.
According to Raider head coach Sean Roche, the win was perhaps the most significant win of the season but the Raiders still need some outside help to make it to the postseason.
“Our fate is not completely in our hands,” said Roche. “To make it to the playoffs we need to win next week and we need other teams to lose.”
Moorpark College has two games remaining in the regular season. The Raiders travel to L.A. Mission College on Tuesday and conclude their regular season with a trip to Citrus College on Friday. Both games are set to start at 3 p.m.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 10, 2009 | Student Voice Edited Stories-Fall 2009
Photo by Tony Sintic
Published on November 5, 2009
Dan Lovi
Staff writer
The Moorpark College men’s soccer team faced rival Oxnard College, and a late goal by Oxnard took away what seemed to be a sure win, resulting in a tie.
The Raiders held a narrow 1-0 lead when a Condors player scored in the 88th minute on a break away.
The Raiders had an opportunity to take control of the game, but could not capitalize offensively. They fired 13 shots at goal, but only connected once.
Coach Sean Roche was pleased with the aggressiveness of his offense, even though they were unable to squeeze in more than one goal.
“We’re here to create,” said Roche. “We were on par. Missed opportunities are a positive. When you don’t have those opportunities, it’s a negative.”
The Raiders looked like they were going to get the victory; holding on to the lead late, but Condors forward Jose Arrevalo maneuvered his way through the Raiders defense and fired in a goal in the 87th minute.
Roche acknowledged the spectacular move that Arrevalo made to maneuver past the defense.
“We lost focus and lunged,” said Roche. “He dribbled through three of us. You have to give him credit.”
The game lacked the scoring punch that the first game between the two teams had, but it did not lack the physicality. Players knocked one another around the entire game.
A yellow card was assessed to a Condors player when he shoved Raiders defensive captain Luis Gutierrez to the ground on a free kick attempt.
Hopefully the way this game ended will provide the Raiders with additional motivation when they face Santa Barbara this Friday, although Roche believes no extra motivation is needed.
“The top teams don’t need motivation,” said Roche. “The best part about this conference is there are so many good teams. It’s also the bad part. Every year is a battle.”
The Raiders could use a victory with only three conference games remaining, as they aim towards making the playoffs.
