Women's Soccer: Long Beach gets 3-2 win over Orange Coast in season opener

Freshman Stephanie Barrera (Bellflower HS) scored a pair of goals while sophomore Janessa Martinez' (Narbonne HS) goal in the 79th minute proved to be the game-winner as the Long Beach City College women's soccer team opened 2015 with a 3-2 win over Orange Coast College at the Ventura Nike Classic tournament on Thursday.

Long Beach outshot Orange Coast by a 12-9 margin but had to erase a 2-1 deficit midway through the first half.

Barrera opened the scoring with her goal in the 10th minute before OCC tied it up with a goal in the 13th minute. The Pirates added another goal in the 20th minute to take their first lead of the game.

But Barrera broke free for a score in the 28th minute to tie the game up before Martinez sent the Vikings home with the win thanks to her late goal.

Sophomore Breanna Velazquez (Santa Fe HS) and freshman Savannah Christensen (Lakewood HS) both picked up assists.

Sophomore Evelyn Fierros (Bishop Amat HS) totaled three first-half saves in goal for the Vikings while sophomore Isabella Reynoso (Lakewood HS) held the Pirates scoreless over the second half with four saves.

The 1-0 Vikings close out tournament play on Saturday (Sep. 29) when they return to Ventura to face College of the Canyons at 9 a.m.