Blasting Kesha’s “Blow,” the San Francisco State University women’s soccer team enthusiastically kicked off their home opener against Menlo College at Cox Stadium on Thursday.

As a new season ushered in a team composed of majority freshmen, Head Coach John DeMartini could not be more thrilled to see the early camaraderie between players. The team remained in sync the entire match, both on and off the field.

“This is a whole team effort. We’ve spent a lot of time together,” DeMartini said. “They’re really involved.”

Prior to the match, the Gators anticipated a strong game from the Oaks. With an even amount of shots on goal and shoulder checks galore, the Oaks proved to be a formidable opponent. Junior forward Kaya Mitchem shared some of the team’s preparation strategy.

“We watched film on them the past few weeks, and we knew it was going to be a rough, competitive game to prepare for,” Mitchem said.

In the first half, the Gators made heavy use of advancing, using the right-hand channels, with freshman midfielder Journey Hett and junior defender Nare Avetian, holding their ground with a wealth of strong reversals from the penalty box. 

Menlo proved to be a challenging opponent, scoring the game’s first goal against the Gators in the 29th minute. However, the Gators were able to sneak in a shot just before halftime with a goal by freshman defender Mattison Taira in the 39th minute.

The Gators were thrilled to put a goal on the scoreboard, but not without some outcry from the Oaks. In moments like these, many wished they had a recap camera to capture the controversial shoulder check of the Menlo goalie into the net, ball in hand. The opposition roared in outcry against this goal, but the referee called fair play. 

With both teams scoring their first goals, the teams grew hungry to succeed. Freshman forward Ashlyn Jones broke the deadlock by scoring a goal in the 62nd minute, tentatively pulling the Gators ahead in the second half. 

“You have to find the energy now!” shouted Demartini from the sideline.

In tandem with the encouragement of the team, Jones’ first goal of the season only motivated her for more. Jones scored her second, and the Gators third goal in the 66th minute. 

All the goals scored by the Gators were nothing short of explosive and brought dynamic energy throughout the stadium. The Gators’ victory song blared through the PA system after each goal.

However, Menlo persisted as they scored another goal in the 67th minute, bringing the score to 3-2. 

As the Gators attempted to hold their lead in the final 20 minutes of the game, Menlo scored the final goal in the 85th minute, tying the game up 3-3.

While only time will tell the future of the team, they are currently 0-1-0 for the season. The Gators did not emerge victorious from their inaugural season match, but Jones felt confident about the future of the team. 

“I feel like this is a good foundation for our season,”  Jones said. “It’s only up from here.”

As the season persists, the women’s team will solely represent the university’s official soccer teams, following the cut of the men’s soccer team. 

Amid uncertainty regarding the future of athletic teams across campus, players continued to rally with hope for their present circumstances. Their coach recognized the reality for many students. 

“We struggled with retention of athletes,” DeMartini said. “People weren’t sure there were going to be programs.”

Senior defender Kelsey Burrus was thrilled to play with the Gators one last time.

“I’m really excited to give it all on the soccer field, all in the classroom,” said Burrus, who is graduating in the fall.

DeMartini has worked hard to cultivate a team of talented players that foster each other’s skills. His passion for the team and players’ individual success was palpable. The cheers of glee between players after clever plays and goals hallmarked their bond and passion for the sport. 

“They’re set in their pattern,” DeMartini said. “What is not newness is the familiarity of having already been in a rhythm is what allows them to continue to prosper.”