New coach, new approach

TEAM PROFILE: WOMEN’S SOCCER.

Co-head coaches lead Dons into new era.

The Women’s Soccer team begins its season on Tuesday, against the Moorpark Raiders, with a new coaching staff.

After 12 years of guidance from Jodi Coffman, her resignation spurred coaches Jose Vasquez and Jessica Rapoza to step up to the challenge.

“I have no soccer experience. I played when I was a kid but that’s it,” Rapoza said.

She approaches soccer with the same ideology that she uses for the Dons softball team, which she coaches with fellow Co-Head Coach Kim Nutter.

“I want effort out of my players, a good attitude and to see improvement,” Rapoza said.

The roster is filled with new and returning talent this season.

“There are a lot of freshmen that are looking good out there,” Vasquez said.

Sophomore Forward Nicki Munoz scored 7 goals before sustaining an ACL injury that ended her 2011 season.

“I want to be the team’s leading scorer,” Munoz said.

Munoz trains seven days a week, working on conditioning and ball control.

“I run four to five miles a day with my dog, and spend hours at a local field just playing with the ball,” Munoz said.

Sophomore Yesenia Fonseca is moving to the sweeper position so she can move anywhere on the field. Her abilities are ideal for the position due to her size, speed and understanding of the game.

When asked what he wants out of the team and the programs’ future, Coach Vasquez smiled, “We want to be the best, so we will need to beat the best,” he said.

NUMBERS GAME

2 — Games won in the Orange Empire Conference.
6 — Games won by the Dons last season, going 6-13-2.
7 — Total goals scored by Forward Nicki Munoz last year.
9 — Returning sophomores from 2010 and 2011.