Matthew (Moose) Lopez
Managing Editor
With more than half of the regular season under their belt, Texas A&M University-San Antonio men’s and women’s soccer teams strive to develop through the ups and downs.
The Jaguars took on the Louisiana Christian University Wildcats and the Louisiana State University-Alexandria Generals, both hard-fought matches but neither Jaguar squad would leave the week with a win.
Sept. 29: Wildcats rolls past Jaguars (Wildcats spoil Jags’ Homecoming)
The Louisiana Christian University Wildcats took down A&M-San Antonio women’s team, 2-0 in the Jag’s first home game since Sept. 4.
Although a home game, it was not technically at home. The game took place in San Antonio but at Southwest High School’s field. Darnell Smith, director of Intercollegiate Athletics, said the field on campus was being reseeded but will be ready for their next home game on Oct. 13.
The Wildcats dominated offensively, keeping the Jags pacified for most of the match. No goal was easily earned however, the Jags’ competed fiercely to deny the Wildcats as much as possible.
In the first half, the Wildcats took 12 shots but did not score until the end of the period due to the Jaguars’ tenacity on defense. Junior forward Guinevere Borja scored in the 41st minute of the match. The Wildcats led at halftime,1-0.
Entering the second half, the Jaguars carved out some opportunities to score but were still trying to stop the Wildcats’ attacks.
Being on defense for almost the entire half, Jaguar freshman goalkeeper Keyla Torres had her work cut out for her. Torres didn’t back down from the challenge, racking up 13 saves, nine of them coming in the second half.
The Jaguars’ valiant efforts could not hold off the Wildcats as sophomore midfielder Emma Monnet scored for LCU in the 78th minute of the match.
Final score 2-0, Wildcat’s victory.
Experience and growth was preached by head coach Fred Sanguinetti.
Sanguinetti said the mistakes will happen but he is more concerned with the process than the result.
“You can’t buy experience you know? So we’re going to take our lumps but what I like is we are inexperienced but we’re giving it all we got.” Sanguinetti said.
Freshman midfielder Ana Barragan praised her opponents for their play but felt the Jaguars were a bit disconnected.
“We just need to communicate more and work together more,” Barragan said.
The Jaguars hopped back on the road to take on the Generals of Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Sept. 29: Jaguars lose tough match to Wildcats, 2-3
A&M-San Antonio men’s team dropped their fourth straight match against the Louisiana Christian University Wildcats.
The Jaguars started off strong, pressing up the field to control the offensive time of the possession. Dictating the pace of the game by battling in the center field, challenging every pass that tried to cross the halfway line.
LCU slowly started connecting offensively but the Jags never let up the pressure, keeping the Wildcat’s opportunities to a minimum. However, the Jags were just as impeded, both teams only allowed each other four shots in the entire first half.
The teams would go scoreless into halftime.
With all the momentum with the Jaguars, they looked to repeat the dominance they showed in the first half, but the Wildcats quickly took the wind from their sails only 10 seconds into the second half.
As soon as the whistle was blown, LCU graduate midfielder Alvaro Tudanca rocketed the ball at the goal from the center spot and scored.
A&M-San Antonio was stunned, seemingly confused as to what had happened.
Jaguar freshman goalkeeper Dominic Florio was too far out from the goal area, Tudanca noticed this and didn’t hesitate. Florio tried to recover but couldn’t make it in time.
1-0, Wildcats in the lead.
Following the goal, the Jags tried to momentum but the Wildcats turned up the intensity by competing on every possession.
LCU’s persistence on defense paid off as a save by Wildcat’s freshman goalkeeper Blaine Bourgeois turned into a fastbreak opportunity helmed by LCU sophomore midfielder Adrian Amoros Navarr.
Florio collided with Navarr as he stepped forward to challenge the shot on goal but was unsuccessful as the collision allowed the ball to roll in for a goal. After the collision, Florio sustained an injury and was subbed out for senior goalkeeper Victor Villareal.
The Jags now find themselves down 2-0 in a game where they had the upper hand.
However, the Jags remained aggressive in hopes of catching up.
In an intense battle on the Wildcat’s side of the field, the Jaguars earned themselves a penalty kick.
Freshman defender Giovani Garcia went one-on-one against Bourgeois and scored to put the Jags on the scoreboard, 1-2.
A glimmer of hope opened for the Jags,, and did their best to seize any opportunity that came to them.
LCU battled hard to keep the Jags at bay, continuing to lock in defensively, which paid off with a score in the 79th minute via sophomore forward Sergio Pita Martìn.
With the game almost over, the Wildcats’ strategy was to run the clock as much as possible by playing keep-away with the ball. The Jags had other plans as they still continued to compete, hoping to spark a miracle run in the last 10 minutes.
Jaguar freshman defender Emiliano Castellanos scored in the 89th minute, putting the score at 3-2.
Immediately after, the game ended with LCU victorious.
Head coach Robert Jaramillo chalked the loss up to simple mistakes but was still optimistic about the match.
“We made some mistakes that a young team would make,” said Jaramillo, “but I’m proud of my guys, they fought to the last second and if we’re going to lose this is the way we’re going out.”
Freshman defender Giovani Garcia had his eyes set on the next game already, internalizing the loss and reflecting on what the team needed to do better.
“Everyone (needs to) be on the same page and what we got to do, which I didn’t see much today, was attack wide and keep crosses on the ground.”
The Jaguars would take on Louisiana State University-Alexandria’s Generals as they hop back on the road.
Oct. 1: Jaguars drop second straight to LSU-Alexandria
Louisiana State University-Alexandria Generals defeated A&M-San Antonio’s women’s soccer team 3-0.
From the start, the Jaguars were fighting an uphill battle.
A minute into the game, Generals’ junior midfielder Charlotte Maconachie scored, setting the tone for the match.
The Jags would look to even the score but were denied any opportunity on offense. The Generals held the Jags to one shot for the entire half—two for the entire game.
Before the end of the half, Generals senior forward Andressa Araujo would score in the 31st minute. Ending the first period 2-0, advantage Generals.
The second half was reminiscent of the first, the Jags tried to claw themselves into position to score but were doused by LSU-Alexandria again.
Still, they refused to roll over and continued to push back in hopes of mounting a comeback.
They could only hold the Generals back for so long because in the 61st minute, junior forward Hannah Carter would score their third goal.
That would be the Generals last goal but not their last attack, looking to add to their commanding lead but were held for the remainder of the period by the Jags. LSU-Alexandria was held to three shots in the second half.
Final 3-0. LSU-Alexandria victory.
A&M-San Antonio will regroup for their next match against Paul Quinn College in Dallas, TX.
Oct. 1: A&M-San Antonio’s last-minute goal ends four-game losing streak
A&M-San Antonio men’s soccer team ended a four-game losing streak in a tie against the Louisiana State University-Alexandria Generals, 1-1.
From the opening kick, LSU-Alexandria was aggressive, taking multiple shots at goal within the first 15 minutes.
The Jags were keeping pace until Generals’ junior forward Daniel Torrenegra scored in the 17th minute.
The score now 0-1.
With the Generals up early, the Jags looked to even the score and would get that opportunity with a small run towards the end of the period but couldn’t convert before time ran out.
Both teams picked up right where they left off, starting the second half with intensity.
Neither team would give an inch because the next goal scored would impact the outcome of the game.
With the Generals limiting the shots taken, the Jags weren’t able to organize any attacks, but on the defensive end they did just the same and held the line, holding the Generals four shots in the second half.
The Jags were held to three shots in the second half, but one was all they needed.
With seconds left in the match, Jaguars’ freshman winger Julian Leon scored in the 89th minute, tying the game at 1-1.
The Jags avoided the loss but could not secure the win as time ran out.
The Jag’s next match would be against the Paul Quinn College Tigers in Dallas, TX.
Week 7 (Jaguars bounce back in Week 7)
Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s soccer teams ascended in this week’s action, leaving it without a loss for the first time since week 3.
The Jaguars went on the road to take on the Paul Quinn College Tigers in Dallas. Then, the teams would travel to Hobbs, N.M. to take on the University of Southwest Mustangs.
Oct 6: Jaguars earn their stripes, defeating Tigers in dominant second half
A&M-San Antonio women’s team defeated Paul Quinn College in a decisive victory, 4-0.
The Jaguars were locked in on both sides of the ball as they denied the Tigers any opportunity to score the entire first half, only allowing them one shot the entire period.
Great defense turned into better offense as Jaguars’ freshman forward Daniela Garcia scored the first goal of the game in the 29th minute.
The Jags continued to stay disciplined on defense and held Paul Quinn to zero first-half points.
Paul Quinn came into the second half looking to even the score by increasing their aggressiveness on offense but couldn’t make it past the Jag’s defense.
In the second half, A&M-San Antonio scored three goals.
The first goal came from sophomore midfielder Hannah Kim in the 49th minute, her first goal of the season.
The third point was earned via a penalty kick by freshman midfielder Ana Barragan in the 78th minute.
Finally, Garcia scored the last goal of the game in the 82nd minute, making the final score 4-0.
The Jags will try to keep the momentum going into their next match against the University of Southwest in Hobbs, N.M.
Oct 6: Jags unleash offensive onslaught in 5-2 victory over Paul Quinn
A&M-San Antonio men’s team secured their first victory since Sept. 9 by beating the Paul Quinn College Tigers 5-2.
The Jaguars wasted no time putting points on the board with freshman winger Julian Leon leading the charge.
Leon scored the first two goals of the game, the first coming in the 12th and the second in the 16th minute.
On top of holding the Tigers to zero points in the first half—Jaguars’ freshman midfielder Gabriel Soliz scored, his first of the season, after being set up by junior striker Fredrick Kumassi.
The Jags went into halftime leading the game 3-0.
The Tigers wouldn’t go quietly as they went on a scoring run of their own in the second half.
In the 55th minute, Paul Quinn defender Jonathan Hernandez scored. Capitalizing off that momentum the Tigers score yet again in the 65th minute by winger Jarrett Williams.
In the blink of an eye the score was 3-2, advantage still with the Jags but Paul Quinn began nipping at their heels.
The Jags responded to this pressure in the 68th minute when junior midfielder Luis Aceves scored.
The Jags would have the final say as sophomore defensive midfielder Alejandro Hernandez scored the final goal of the game in the 77th minute, closing the match at 5-2, Jags win.
A&M-San Antonio’s next opponent will be the Southwest University Mustangs in Hobbs, N.M.
Oct. 8: Jags stride past Mustangs in second straight victory
A&M-San Antonio’s women’s team takes down Southwest University, 3-1.
Two minutes into the game Jaguars’ freshman midfielder Ana Barragan scored the first goal of the match, seizing control of the game.
Using the early momentum, the Jags quickly turned a defensive stop into an opportunity to score as Jaguars’ sophomore midfielder Hannah Kim in the ninth minute of the match.
The Mustangs began to carve out chances for themselves on offense, but Jags sophomore goalkeeper Maram Abdeljaber was there to protect the net. Abdeljaber racked up four saves in the half.
With Abdeljaber helming their defensive charge, the Jags did not allow a score in the entire first half.
The Jags went into halftime leading 2-0.
In the second half, the Jaguars scored another goal in the 57th minute via freshman forward Daniela Garcia.
Garcia has now scored at least one goal in each of the last four games she’s played in. She has the second most goals scored on the team, right behind Barragan.
The Mustangs responded right after with a goal of their own by Southwest freshman forward Emma Rocco.
The score is now 3-1.
The Jaguars still had the lead but the Mustangs now had a glimmer of hope. Both teams understood how impactful another score would be for either side but ultimately canceled each other out.
Final score 3-1,
With the win, the Jags improve to 5-3-1 on the season.
Oct. 8: Jaguars tie for the second time this season
A&M-San Antonio men’s team tied with Southwest University, 0-0.
In this defensive game, neither team could find the back of the net.
Although few shots were taken, both team’s goalkeepers saves everything that came their way.
Neither team gave their opponents much opportunity to score, especially in the second half.
A&M-San Antonio only took one shot and Southwest took two shots in the second period.
Both teams fought valiantly but couldn’t put any points on the board before the end of the match.
The Jaguars record now 3-4-2.
The Jaguars’ are finally back home, facing off against Jarvis Christian University at 3 p.m. on Oct. 13, at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
