Giants women's soccer off to strong start

By Nick Giannandrea
College of the Sequoias' women's soccer team is halfway to matching its win total from last year following a successful opening week to the 2019 season.
The Giants, who went 2-15 last season, received a goal and an assist from Joana Guerra (Woodlake) during a 3-1 nonconference victory over Oxnard on Aug 30 at COS.
Caitlin Albison (Harmony) and Andrea Rios-Alvarado (Mission Oak) also scored goals for COS (1-0-1). Briana Guerra (Woodlake) added an assist, while goalkeepers Ciana Koo (Woodlake) and Maria Camacho (Lindsay) each made three saves.
COS opened the season Aug. 27 with a 2-2 tie against Allan Hancock at Riverway Sports Park.
Kamryn Berry (Tulare Western) provided the equalizer, unassisted, for the Giants in the 82nd minute. Viviana Alvarado (Tulare Western) also scored an unassisted goal for COS in the second half. Koo made eight saves.
The Giants return to action Sept. 6 at Bakersfield. Their next home match is at 4 p.m. Sept. 13 against Cuesta.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Looking to build off a 20-win season in 2018, COS won its first four matches and finished its opening week 4-2.
The Giants opened with wins over Monterey Peninsula (25-18, 25-18, 25-23) and Cuesta (25-23, 25-15, 20-25, 19-25, 16-14) on Aug. 28 in San Luis Obispo.
Christa Pilgrim (Mission Oak) led the way against Monterey Peninsula with 12 kills and seven digs. Hazel Martinez (Mission Oak) had seven kills, Sydney Guinn (Exeter) had 31 assists and Alexis Carmona (Madera) added 14 digs for the Giants.
Against Cuesta, Pilgrim had 16 kills and seven digs, Martinez had 10 kills, Guinn had 28 assists and Carmona added 31 digs.
The Giants traveled to the Monterey Peninsula Classic on Aug. 30, where they beat the host Lobos 25-9, 25-16, 26-24 and San Jose 25-14, 24-26, 25-16, 25-14.
COS closed its opening week with two losses at the Hartnell Classic in Salinas, losing to the Folsom Lake 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 and the host Panthers 26-24, 21-25, 26-24, 22-25, 15-7
The Giants play next on Sept. 4 at Bakersfield. Their first home match is at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 against Porterville.

MEN'S SOCCER
Eduardo Manuel Angeles (Porterville) came out of the goal late in the second half and scored COS' only goal during a season-opening 3-1 loss to Allan Hancock on Aug. 27 at Riverway Sports Park.
Manuel Angeles mad three saves before coming out of the cage.
The Giants are set to play at L.A. Mission on Sept. 6. They will host Monterey Peninsula at 11 a.m. Sept. 7 at COS.