Season Preview: Vaqueros eye another WSC title in 2015

John Sisterson has built SBCC into a powerhouse in women's soccer over the past four seasons with a 35-4-7 conference record and two WSC North titles.

He'll have to find some scorers for this year's squad after the Vaqueros lost 83 percent of last year's goals to graduation. Kaitlyn Crooker, who's now at Fresno State, had 18 goals and WSC Player of the Year Sandy Grimaldo added nine.

The Vaqueros open the season in the Ventura Tournament, playing Golden West on Thursday at 1 p.m. and CC San Francisco on Saturday at 1 p.m. The home opener is Friday, Sept. 4 vs. San Diego Mesa at 2 p.m.

Santa Barbara went 14-3-5 a year ago and 9-0-3 in conference, ending the season with a first-round playoff loss to Rio Hondo on penalty kicks. Seven players are back from that squad, led by defenders Emily Erwin and Lena Gustafsson, along with Santa Barbara High product Steph Romero.

Sisterson is 128-44-38 (.700) in 10 seasons as the women's coach.

He said the top newcomers are Andrea Skjold, a 5-11 defender from Denmark and midfielders Kaitlyn Saperstein (San Marcos High) and Maria Solis (Dos Pueblos). "Katherine Quinn has played well on defense and we're looking for big things from McKenna Taylor, a center midfielder from Northern California," said Sisterson. "I expect Andrea to get us some goals and Taylor can score, she really likes to go forward. Athena Nava is back after playing for us two years ago and Sarah Jimenez returns at midfield."

Kasey Jensen, a backup goalkeeper last year, is battling for the starting spot with Alex Camarillo of Dos Pueblos.

"We knock the ball around and have good technical ability but I'm not sure if we have the pace and flair we had with our goal scorers last year," Sisterson added. "We'll be OK. We're working hard and finding our own identity."