The women’s soccer team took the field for the first time this season fielding seven players and giving up six goals before ultimately forfeiting the game against Folsom Lake College (4-1-1 overall and 3-0 in the Bay Valley Conference) due to an in-game injury on Sept. 15 at the Soccer Field.

Merely fielding a team was a victory of sorts for the Comets (0-1 in the BVC),  showing  how far behind its first step into the 2015 season was when compared to where FLC is in its season.

Its subsequent away game against Mendocino College on Friday was rescheduled, Comet striker Mary Sanchez said.

“We have to play three games in a week because we rescheduled,” Sanchez said. “We have to play back-to- back games on Tuesday, Wednesday and then we play Los Medanos College (on the Soccer Field) on Friday (this week).”

Contra Costa College Athletic Director John Wade said, “I can’t decide whether to cancel the season or not. The rule says as long as you have at least seven players then you play.

“The women’s program is a work in progress; we have to give them the opportunity,” Wade said. “But Folsom (Lake College’s) athletic director wasn’t happy about spending $1,000 to make the trip here and not getting in a full game. All I could say is that I didn’t make the rules.”

The lack of real time game action was a factor for CCC it showed a lack of crispness and in overall conditioning.

From the opening whistle, six Comets chased the ball as 10 opponents played keep away testing the Comets endurance, ultimately resulting in an open shot for the Falcons.

“It was the first game so you couldn’t go in with many expectations,” Comet coach Amanda Beckenhauer said. “After the first 15-20 minutes they got past the frustration of it and learned that it is going to take patience — your mindset has to change when you are only playing with seven players.”

Comet goalkeeper Dominique Trevino blocked the first three Falcon shots on goal, but after an ankle injury to striker Zoe Glover, Trevino was forced on to the field.

Due to playing with seven players, three fewer than a normal starting line up, Glover threw on an orange vest and simply switched positions with Trevino.

Seven minutes later, a FLC center attacking midfielder challenged Trevino for possession, missed the ball and kicked her in the ankle.

She was unable to get up and was carried off the field by Glover and Athletic Trainer Mikel Jackson. This forced the officials to end the game with the Comets fielding an insufficient number of players at 34 minutes, before halftime.

In total the Falcons attempted a whopping 12 shots on goal in the first 36 minutes of play. They were successful at the 2, 3, 6, 25, 27 and 31 minute marks with two FLC players Karina Torres and Andrea Martinez) falling just one goal short of a hat trick.

“After the first 10 minutes we got used to being back and defending so we just pushed back on defense,” Glover said. “When they saw that we were defending their shots, they started playing harder.”

For a solid 19 minutes CCC did not yield a point to the Falcons between the sixth and the 25th minute.

The Comets weighed the pros and cons of taking an aggressive offensive approach with the downfall being that it leaves the backside vulnerable.

FLC’s numbers advantage would leave Trevino helpless in the face of a flock of Falcons. At 20 minutes, it looked as though the game may be over as Glover lay on the field in pain, after Trevino’s injury play was halted.