Women’s soccer scores an exciting start to 2012 season

On the heels of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s thrilling gold medal performance at the 2012 Olympics in London, the PVCC Women’s Soccer team has kicked up the action with its first win of  a promising 2012 season.

The Pumas are led by Head Coach Kacey Bingham, who in 2010 brought home PVCC’s first national championship  in women’s soccer after an undefeated season. In 2011, the PVCC Women’s Soccer team was named Team of the Year by the Phoenix Women’s Sports Association.

“This is a great start to our season. Hopefully, we can continue to build on this success throughout the season. We have to take one game at a time,” Bingham said.

In the Pumas’ season opener on Aug. 23 against South Mountain Community College, the women walked away with a 9-0 win and their first shut out of the season. Ali Doller scored the first goal of the season with a header off a free kick from Jenny Richards. Doller followed up with a second goal assisted by Cassie Beckwith, who scored the third goal assisted by Erica Gonzalez. The fourth goal went to Jessie DeLeon off a cross from Halie Claiborne. The last goal in the first half was finished by Gonzalez off a redirection from Selena Bracamonte.

In the second half, Ashley Johnson played a through ball to DeLeon who had a 1v1 with the SMCC keeper and put it in the back of the net. The seventh goal went to Kendall Fraley, assisted by Doller. Erin Turner finished the eighth goal, assisted by Krisa Duff off a corner kick from Erica Peck. The last goal went to Gonzalez who won the ball off a goal kick and took it all the way for a finish on the keeper. The Pumas recorded 35 shots to SMCC’s one.

Tessa Hamberlin started in the goal for the Pumas with 0 saves and 0 goals against. Courtney Hageman went in goal for the second half and recorded one save with 0 goals against.

Home games are played on PVCC’s Shoenhair Field. Several games are played at the nearby Reach 11 Sports Complex at Cave Creek and  Deer Valley Roads.