Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The Portales Ram and Lady Ram soccer teams swept the Roswell High junior varsity Saturday afternoon at the Portales soccer complex.
The Lady Rams beat Roswell High 3-2, while the Rams defeated the Coyotes 2-1.
Head coach Traci Sievers says both squads are coming along in their first year of competition.
“They both seem to be coming together,” Sievers said. “The girls took a little while, and after the Roswell tournament is when they started coming together.”
Marissa Best scored twice and Senior Kandace Bergsieker added another Saturday. Sophomore goalkeeper Lizzie Armstrong had 17 saves.
“(The girls) have made a big improvement quickly,” Sievers said.
The Rams completed the sweep with a 2-1 win. Martin Santibanez and Tyler Anderson scored Portales’ goals.
“They played great actually,” Ram volunteer coach Grant Shanahan said. “(They’re) playing a lot more aggressive than we did our first two games. They’re actually going after the ball instead of just watching it.”
Shanahan also had high praise for the Ram defenders.
“We knew (the defense) was going to be strong back there and they have been,” Shanahan said. “We’ve taught them a couple of things and the rest is all them. They’re the best defense for a first-year team that I’ve ever seen.”
The Rams beat the Artesia junior varsity Thursday night 2-1 at Artesia, while the Lady Rams played the Lady Bulldogs to a scoreless tie.
“They really saw what it takes to play as a team and when they do what they’re supposed to do at their positions,” Sievers said. “We’re trying to define what their positions are a little more.”
“They’re catching on and that’s just great to see,” Shanahan said. “Because that means they’re wanting to learn and they’re doing it.”
The Lady Rams travel to Roswell High Tuesday, before the Portales boys and girls host the Clovis junior varsity Thursday night.
“The way the season started out at first, I could see the potential there,” Sievers said. “I was hoping it would come around and it definitely came around quicker than I thought it would. Let’s hope we can maintain it.”
