The Cosumnes River College women’s soccer team kicked off their season with a 2-0 win at home against Butte College on Aug. 30.

But the game started off on a bad note, with an injury to returning forward Dani Arellano only three minutes into the game. Arellano was an All-American selection in 2009 when she scored a state leading 31 goals and helped the team make it to the final game in the playoffs.

“If we lost her for the season it’s a terrible blow for us”, said Head Coach Cesar Plasencia. “I’m heartbroken if she’s gone for the season. I’m hoping it’s just a sprain and she’ll be back in a few weeks.”

In the first half, the Hawks did not start the game with the same level of intensity their opponent brought.

They seemed to be stuck in their own half of the field but they managed to keep the ball out of their net with solid play from the defense and freshman goalkeeper Claudia Lara.

“I just stayed nervous throughout the whole game,” Lara said after starting her first game at the college level. “Until now, now I can relax.”

As the first half progressed, the Hawks began to get more and more chances on net, such as a penalty kick that went wide with 13 minutes and 50 seconds left.

It wasn’t until the clock was down to one minute, 15 seconds left in the first half when the Hawks struck.

Sophomore forward Kristen Mickey’s sliding kick to the right side of the net sneaked past the diving Butte College goalkeeper Connie Rivera, to put the home team on the scoreboard.

Then they took over the game in the second half with a much more consistent level of offensive pressure.

With 10 minutes left in the game, freshman midfielder Jordan Moore, who was filling in at forward after Arellano’s injury, jumped and headed the ball into the net off of a corner kick to make the score 2-0.

With time ticking down, Butte college made a final push, but couldn’t finish any of their chances.

“We found a way to get the W,” Plasencia said. “That’s all we’re kind of looking for in the first game.”

The Hawks will spend the next few weeks on the road before returning home Sept. 16 to face Los Medanos College.

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