After starting the season 6-2, the Bakersfield College soccer team has since dropped two straight games to first place College of the Canyons (5-0-1) and second place Citrus College (4-0-2) and is now 2-2-2 in the Western State Conference. BC lost 1-0 to Canyons on Oct. 8 and allowed a season high four goals three days later against Citrus in a 4-2 defeat.
The Renegades are also on a two-game tie streak with its latest 2-2 tie on the road against West L.A. College on Oct. 18.
“We actually had to fight hard for that [tie] one,” said BC coach Scott Dameron. “We made a mistake early and we gave up a goal right away and before we knew it we were already down one.”
Dameron said he was pleased with the team’s response after being down. West L.A. led 2-1 at halftime. BC’s first goal was scored by freshman Monica Diaz. D.J. Vidal would later get a goal of her own to pull even with the Wildcats at 2-2. Casey Bryan assisted on both goals scored by the Renegades.
BC tied Santa Monica College 2-2 at home back on Oct. 15. With a 2-1 win over Glendale College on Oct. 18, Santa Monica moved one game ahead of BC for the third place in the WSC. “We just have to stay patient,” said Dameron when asked about the upcoming game against Glendale.
SMC entered the game against BC on a two-game winning streak and it looked as if that streak was going to be snapped when Halle Meadows connected on a goal in the first seven minutes of the game. Meadows would then put her team up 2-0 later in the first half before leaving the game with a knee injury. Dameron said the injury will sideline Meadows for the remainder of the year.
Meadows missed most of last season after she fractured her tibia in the fourth game of the season.
“We’re still a group and she’s still being a leader. There are trials, it’s difficult when those things happen but it’s also opportunities for others to step up.”
When asked how Meadows was handling the injury, Dameron said she’s very determined to get her surgery right away and he’s very pleased with how tough she’s been on handling the situation.
BC is now 6-4-2 on the season and will be looking to break the two game tie streak against 4-4-5 Glendale on Oct. 22 at BC. BC swept the Vaquero’s last season, beating them 2-0 in both games.