The Reporter: Solano College women’s soccer ready to fly in 2017
By Mack Drake (Vacaville Reporter), fdrake@thereporter.com, @m_drake10
To describe the upcoming women’s soccer season at Solano College as one of the rebuilding nature wouldn’t be accurate.
On the surface, it may look that way. The Falcons will be leaning on nine new faces after taking second in the Bay Valley Conference standings last season behind the leadership of several key sophomores.
But longtime head coach Jeff Cardinal loves the talent he has coming in this year. Couple that with the return of last year’s leading goal scorer in Kailyn Herrera, and the Falcons look like they may fly straight to the top of the conference standings.
“We’re definitely not as deep in numbers this year, but we have some really good players coming into the program,” said Cardinal, who enters his 16th season leading Solano. “There’s no doubt, we lost a lot of good players last season and those sophomores left a pretty big hole in our roster. But we’ve brought in some good freshman that I think are going to make an impact.”
Adding to Solano’s case as one of the best teams in the BVC this year, all seven of its returners were mainstays in the starting lineup last season as freshman and should be again in 2017.
Herrera and Anissa Berumen — who were teammates at Will C. Wood High School — were two of the Falcons’ top playmakers last year and return for their sophomore campaigns. Herrera was Solano’s go-to weapon at the top of the formation. She led the Falcons in goals (30) and ranked fourth in the conference in that category.
Cardinal said Herrera’s game is right there with the best-of-the-best in California.
“Potential-wise, she’s at the top of the junior college level,” Cardinal said. “She does everything a coach could want. She can play any position on the field, she’s that good. With the way last year’s roster was built, we used her up top most of the year. This year’s team is a little different. We may move her into more of an attacking midfielder role. But no matter where she is, she’s going to excel."
Berumen netted 10 goals and dished out five assists last year. She’ll look to build on those numbers as one of the Falcons’ featured attackers. Berumen will be joined at the top by Benicia High grad Kaelyn Morimoto, who Cardinal says is one of Solano’s most versatile players.
“Kaelyn primarily played outside (defensive) back for us last year, but we’re going to slide her up top this season,” Cardinal explained. “She plays both positions really well, to the point where we feel comfortable with her just about anywhere.”
A pair of local kids will team up to handle the center back defensive duties. Wood grad Mia Grillo returns for her sophomore season with Solano and will be joined by a freshman in Vanden product Anngelica Terry.
“Mia was probably our best 1-on-1 defender last year,” Cardinal said. “We’re happy to have her back on defense. I actually thought Anngelica was the best high school player I saw last year after going around to all of the teams. She was very impressive and we’re very fortunate to have her at Solano. Those two should be strong for us on defense.”
Esmeralda Padilla and Michaela Napata are freshman outside backs expected to make an impact along Solano’s last line of defense, Cardinal said.
The midfield features a skilled group that’s led by Benicia grad Eli Lopez, Ariana Sanchez and Kaci Trujillo. Herrera headlines a strong attacking unit with help from Berumen, Morimoto and freshman Maria Luna.
Sophomore Mikayla Marwick is the starting keeper between the posts. Marwick is another returning starter for the Falcons.
As excited as Cardinal is with his team’s skill on the pitch, he’s equally happy with his team off of it. The Falcons sported a team GPA of 3.3 last year, the highest it’s been in a long time, Cardinal said. He hopes his team can produce similar results in the classroom and on the field this year.
The long grind started yesterday as Solano’s season kicked off with a road game at Consumnes.
“The goals are always the same for us,” Cardinal said of the season ahead. “We always want to win our conference and make the playoffs. We’ve won eight conference titles since I’ve been here, so that’s always a goal and a expectation here.”