Reno, NV - Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) faced challenges while traveling to their match against College of Southern Idaho (CSI) Golden Eagles on Friday, Oct. 2. 


The journey started with the team bus breaking down halfway leaving them waiting about four hours to get to their hotel the night before the game. After the unexpected situation, they arrived at about 1 a.m..The game was rescheduled to begin an hour later than originally planned, as the Men's and Women's soccer teams needed to have a restful night after being on the road for more than fourteen hours. 

The women's game started with an unlucky goal in the first fifteen seconds of the game, with a second goal following in the ninth minute, serving as t a wake-up call for the Mighty Lizards. After the second strike, the team managed by Coach Debs Brereton, became more organized defensively, moved the ball with greater confidence and started to communicate with better stamina. Their attacking plays were more noticeable as Chloe McMinn and Kendyl Bridges tested the goalkeeper in the first and second halves with rocket shots, but the keeper comfortably saved and some went just wide of the goal. 

Both players continued to stretch the defense by moving into wide areas, but CSI appeared to find those gaps on TMCC's defensive lines, and when they got the opportunity, took a total of 26 shots, with 20 going out wide or obstructed by the Mighty Lizards defenders, and six remaining incredible saves by goalkeeper, Jessica Vera, who had an outstanding, intense and fast-paced game. The saves came from dangerous chances inside or around the box, but Vera remained calm under pressure and showed confidence in every difficult moment that could have opened the score more for CSI. 

During the final ten minutes of the match, TMCC showed character, discipline and determination to end the game correctly, and with just five minutes of the clock, Alondra Carrillo scored a goal, creating a path for the Mighty Lizards to tie the game. With just one minute remaining, their persistence even caused a CSI player to leave the field after receiving a red card, showing signs of pressure and frustration in the moment. 

Unfortunately, TMCC lost the game, but the result does not tell the whole story. Dealing with injuries, and a late arrival  the night before, they still found the courage to show up, compete and put on a performance for the full 90 minutes. The score may have gone against them, but their resiliency, discipline and effort to keep fighting are something that as players they should be proud of. 


Men's soccer had a rough battle throughout their game, but stayed consistent during both halves. 

In the first half, CSI opened with a score in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Lizards stayed composed after the goal, but an unfortunate lapse occurred and the scoreboard fell for the Mighty Lizards, who went to halftime with a 4-0 score.

Despite the result, TMCC's energy never dipped. Goalkeeper, Rocco Primerano made a couple of appearances to protect the Mighty Lizards net, and attackers, Gavin Sibayan and Brayan Caldera put the goalkeeper to work, making a couple shots that determined the remainder of the game was not going to be light work. 

The Mighty Lizards were unable to mount a comeback, and the Golden Eagles sealed the game in the final 15 minutes, resulting in a 5-0 loss for TMCC. The Mighty Lizards look to dominate on home soil this week, with Women's Soccer facing off against Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. followed by Men's Soccer against SLCC at 3:30 p.m.  

Mighty Lizards will take the field again on Saturday, Oct. 10 against Utah State University East (USUE) with games at 11 a.m. (women) and 1:30 p.m. (men). Sophomores will be honored during these games, and Women's Soccer will be rocking pink shoelaces with Men's Soccer wearing pink jerseys in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place annually in October.