By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

It doesn't matter to Annie Sanchez, a freshman forward, if it's eight, nine or 10 players who are on the field for the Napa Valley College women's soccer team.

The consistent all-out, all-around effort, both in the first half and second half, is still going to there for the Storm, which is playing with limited numbers this year, said Sanchez.

"We all know that it's a team effort. And at the end of the day, we all kind of have to muscle through it," said Sanchez. "We just push through it together, even if it's painful for all of us. So why not stay in pain together.

"It's hard, but at the same time, it almost makes you want to work harder because you know there's no way out. You're not getting out unless you're hurt. Nobody wants to be hurt."

Once again, Napa Valley turned in a gutsy, quality performance, getting a penalty kick from Sanchez, in a 2-1 Bay Valley Conference loss to visiting College of Marin-Kentfield on Friday, Oct. 13.

Sanchez took a penalty kick after Melina Shaline-Solis, a freshman forward, was fouled at the top of the box and had to be helped off the field due to an injury early in the second half. Sanchez tied the game, 1-1, drilling the penalty kick into the right corner of the net.

"Most teams, I feel, if they were playing down 1-2 players like we are, would end it a lot differently, probably would have given up a few more goals," said Sanchez. "But I feel like we've gotten pretty solid and pretty used to playing down. We work as a unit to try to make it possible. I'm really proud of the girls that everybody gives 110 percent every single game and rest while we can, but also give it everything you've got.

"We have some really good through balls, really good crosses, really good drives down the line. At the end of the day, it was kind of just a numbers game."

College of Marin scored the winning goal at the 85-minute mark. Taylor R. Stull, a sophomore forward, scored the goal off a corner kick from Hailey Poluter.

Emmy Bergen scored Marin's first goal. The first-half goal was unassisted. "It was a great matchup. It turned out to be a great game," said Pernille Kelm, Marin's head coach. "Napa added great pressure."

Sanchez is one of NVC's top players.

"Expectations are so high through the quality that she displays all the time," said NVC coach Mark Corbett. "I was fairly confident when she put the ball down (for the penalty kick), it was going to end up being a goal. Then, it was how can we build on that and try and take the lead."

Napa Valley played very well, passing and distributing the ball around the field and getting shots on goal.

"Extremely proud of the girls," said Corbett. "When they can work as hard as they did, they're going to give themselves a chance to do something. We've got some good players that can be really effective, and I thought that's exactly what we were today. We competed from Minute 1 to 90, 10 versus 11.

"Today gives them the confidence. We know we've got some good players here. And they have got to believe that we've got good players."

Jocelyn Diaz did not play in the game due to an injury. NVC (4-4 overall, 3-2 Bay Valley) was also missing Paola Ramirez due to another commitment.

"Our 10 girls that were out there knew their roles and responsibilities," said Corbett. "It's just about can they kind of dig deep and find that work rate for the whole game, to allow us a chance to get something later on.

"As long as we can stay in the game, there's a good chance we can get something later on because the girls won't stop running, which is a credit to them."

Ariel Nunez had a very good game at goal keeper for the Storm.

"She made some good saves. I was delighted when she decided to join the program because I knew that it gives us a solid base from having a standout goalkeeper as good as Ariel. It gives the defenders confidence and just kind of gives the whole team a lift. We've got a good keeper in there," said Corbett.

CCCSIA women's soccer poll

Five Northern California teams are in the latest California Community College Sports Information Association poll, announced in a report, by the California Community College Athletic Association, on Oct. 10 at www.cccaasports.org.

San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton and Folsom Lake College are tied for ninth.

Also in the poll:

No. 12 Sierra College-Rocklin, No. 17 Skyline College-San Bruno, No. 19 Canada-Redwood City.

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.