With seven straight road matches to begin the 2018 season, the Pasadena City College men's soccer team knows it will have to figure out ways to combat the traveling while trying to keep up with some of its high-rated opponents.
The Lancers, directed by second-year head coach Gerry Mora, ran into an Oxnard College buzzsaw in their season opener Tuesday, allowing three first-half goals in a 4-0 loss to the Condors. Maybe the team's top standout was frosh goalie Juan Secaida (Eagle Rock High) who made eight saves and kept the game from becoming a more one-sided.
On the team's 25-player roster are eight lettermen, including All-South Coast Conference Second Teamer and forward Romio Sislian (three goals in 2017), who hit the post on a shot attempt in the Oxnard defeat. Other returning starters are defenders Bryce Watson and Christopher Munoz, forwards Anthony Jimenez (three goals) and David Vasquez-Mena, and midfielders Lucas Rodriguez and Joshua Moran, who were were starters on the Lancers' 2016 playoff team. Also slated to come back is defender Ben Vigil.
Freshmen who started in the opener were defenders Kevin Madrigal (Pasadena High), Cesar Flores-Bravo (Alhambra HS) and Bryan Garcia (Kennedy), midfielder Marvin Moreno (Kennedy), and forwards Edwin De Jesus (Dr. Maya Angelou Community School) and Eduardo Gonzales (Huntington Park). Reserves who saw action were grayshirt goalie David Quinonez (one save, nine minutes), defenders Adam Ure (Cleveland High) and Steven Sandoval (Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet), and midfielders Santana Nunez (Muir), All-CIF LA City Second Team selection Carlos Gonzalez (Huntington Park), and Emmanual Becerra (Sotomayor HS).
The rest of the Lancers are made up of midfielders Alexis Guzman (South El Monte) and Aaron Rosas (Monrovia), and defenders Edson Pulido (Monrovia) and All-LA City Division 2 selection Jonathan Mariona (Huntington Park).
Pasadena closes its 7-game road trip with the team's SCC North Division opener at Chaffey College on Tuesday, Sept. 25 (4 p.m.). The Lancers then finally play their home opener v. East Los Angeles on Friday, Sept. 28, a 4 p.m. kickoff at Robinson Stadium.
