Delta’s women’s soccer team has opened its season and is looking forward to this year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) to cancel all competition in 2020.
More than just being excited about 2021, head coach Adrienne Sorenson will confront this season with a sense of gratitude as her team resumes competition for the first time since the end of 2019.
“We need to be grateful for every single game that we get because of what we’ve been through, being grateful for each day that we get together is huge,” said Sorenson.
As the 2021 season gets underway, the women’s soccer team seeks to continue earning its place as one of the most competitive teams in the state.
Expectations for the team remain high after excelling in the 2019 season.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mustangs won the Big 8 Conference title with an undefeated conference record of 15-0-1 and reached the final four of the CCCAA State Championship.
The Mustangs are also coming off of five preseason victories in which they’ve scored 28 goals and only conceded one.
Despite the preseason results, Sorenson thinks her team is far from peaking.
“I think this team isn’t close to peaking yet. We have a long way to go in terms of what we are capable of,” said Sorenson. “We’re taking it each day as it comes trying to be our best each day, but I definitely believe this team has the potential to go as far as they set their minds to.”
This team consists of returning sophomores who decided to stay an extra year after the pandemic reduced their options to transfer to a four-year college.
Among these sophomores is forward Jasmin Mejia who was on the 2019 squad that reached the final four.
This season she wants to take advantage of the fact she’s staying an extra year to win a state title.
“My expectations are to make it to the final four again, and this time I want to win the state championship,” said Mejia.
Forward Dayana Hernandez is another sophomore from the 2019 season, during which she scored 15 goals and gave nine assists.
She claims that the team is motivated for this season after being unable to play last year.
“It’s like so much more motivation, like everybody wants it, we all want to win,” said Hernandez.
Peer support is an important part of the team and its head coach considers it the most valuable virtue the group has.
“We’re very together, the group comradery is amazing. They really pull for each other both on and off the field and that is fantastic for us,” said Sorenson.
The Mustangs have three preseason games left against Butte, Evergreen Valley and Diablo Valley before the team makes its Big 8 Conference debut at home on Oct. 5 against Santa Rosa.