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Lake Tahoe CC men’s soccer rides fast start past Butte 5-0, moves atop Golden Valley Conference

Anthony Gentile
agentile@tahoedailytribune.com
Lake Tahoe freshman Ross Brogan possesses the ball in front of a Butte defender in the Coyotes’ Golden Valley Conference match against the Roadrunners on Friday, Oct. 9.
Anthony Gentile / Tahoe Daily Tribune |

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — The Lake Tahoe Community College men’s soccer team made a handful of changes to its starting lineup on Friday, Oct. 9, and showcased its depth with a lopsided result. The Coyotes started fast to rout visiting Butte College (Oroville, Calif.) 5-0, a win that moved them atop the Golden Valley Conference.

“The guys came out really ready to play,” Coyotes head coach Ben Wade said. “We put in 11 new starters today, and they came out really hungry — that can make a big difference.”

Lake Tahoe (8-3-2, 2-0-1 GVC) did all its scoring in the first 42 minutes of Friday’s match en route to a comfortable win. The Coyotes began the game with reserves, but still started fast. Ross Brogan scored a pair of unassisted goals in the six minutes apart, and his 15th-minute strike gave LTCC a 2-0 lead.



“It was a surprise when he told us the starting lineup, but then again we weren’t bummed about it,” Coyotes sophomore Carlos Trujeque said. “We have confidence in the people that started because we’re a team and it doesn’t matter who starts.”

“We’re a team and it doesn’t matter who starts.”Carlos TrujequeCoyotes sophomore

The Coyotes’ typical starters entered the match midway through the first half, and the hosts kept rolling. Trujeque netted a hat trick in a 17-minute span, finding the back of the net in the 25th, 36th and 42nd minutes to give Lake Tahoe a commanding 5-0 advantage.



“Coach Nick told me to have a clear mind in front of the goal and make smart runs,” Trujeque said of a pre-match conversation with LTCC assistant coach Nick Arbelaez. “I put that into play today and it worked out. I knew once I went in I would put a little magic into the game.”

In the second half, Lake Tahoe dominated possession and chances to see out the win over Butte (5-6-2, 2-1). The Roadrunners entered the match with an undefeated mark in league play, winning their first two conference matches by a combined score of 10-0.

“We had a tough preseason and that’s obviously going to give us good stead as we go down that home stretch,” Wade said. “Now we’re in the middle of conference, and we have to keep these guys sharp.”

Lake Tahoe has a one-point lead atop the Golden Valley Conference standings, and remains atop the regional and statewide power rankings. Riding a an eight-match unbeaten streak, the Coyotes checked in at 15th in the NSCAA Junior College Div. III national rankings released Tuesday, Oct. 13.

“We’re confident because of the hard work we put in,” Trujeque said. “We go hard every day and have our goal set in our mind, which is [the state championship] — other schools have a tough time with us because we’re coming with everything this year.”

The Coyotes resumed conference play on the road Tuesday. Lake Tahoe traveled to play College of the Redwoods (Eureka, Calif.) in a match held at Butte.


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