Pierce girls soccer off to positive start

It's always nice to begin the season with a win, but for the Pierce High girls soccer team, it's not only nice — it's also a feeling some of them had not experienced.

After having gone 0-15-1 just a season ago, the Bears kicked off the year Tuesday with a 3-2 win over Willows High in Arbuckle. Not a bad beginning for this year's squad and for new head coach Brianna Deher.

Daisy Gutierrez found the back of the net for the game's first goal in the first half, but Mayra Olvera and Erika Chavez each buried one for Willows in the second half to put the Honkers up 2-1. Marcela Garcia notched the equalizer for the Bears, before Martha Lievanos booted the eventual game-winner.

Pierce got a stellar performance from keeper Yasmin Garcia between the pipes, as she turned away 13 Honker shots. "Yasmin made a couple of really great saves," Deher beamed.

Pierce put its 1-0 mark on the line Thursday at Esparto, and returns home to host Live Oak on Monday and Durham Tuesday, before making a Thursday trip to Williams.