By MARTY JAMES

martyjames.sports@gmail.com

Going into Tuesday's match, Napa Valley College head coach Rogelio Ochoa said he was looking for his team to create opportunities with the ball. It's also about playing well, said Ochoa.

"The goals will come, hopefully sooner, rather than later," he said. "It's about having that confidence."

Napa Valley is still looking for its first win and also its first goal of the season following a 3-0 nonconference loss to City College of San Francisco in a nonconference match.

However, for Ochoa, there were definitely some positives that highlighted the Storm's play.

There was the play of Carl Osifo-Doe, a sophomore goal keeper, who had 10 saves in the first half.

"As a goalkeeper, you want him to have a presence, and I think he has that," said Ochoa. "Whether it's his voice, whether it's his body, whether it's making saves, he has a presence to him, and it gives that confidence that, if they do get by, he's going to be there to do his job as a goalkeeper."

Osifo-Doe was outstanding, making save after save, helping organize his teammates on the field, and keeping Napa Valley right in the game.

"Him and back line, I think we're being organized. We're not getting beat," said Ochoa.

There was the play of Dawson Le, a freshman midfielder/defender.

"He had a very impressive game today. I think he's showing a lot of growth in the last week," said Ochoa.

Due to the extreme weather conditions, the officiating crew took time so that the teams could take a water break in each half. Temperatures were in the mid- to high-90s, with a light breeze, for the early season match, which started at 4:03 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the North Bay.

Napa Valley (0-3 overall) was again playing without Mateo Villanueva-Martinez, a sophomore midfielder and team captain. He injured his shoulder early in the season-opening match against Folsom Lake College. Ochoa is hoping that Villanueva-Martinez can return.

"We've seen improvement. He has almost 100 percent mobility. Now, just want to make sure he gets all his strength back," said Ochoa.

Napa Valley played its first road match last week, losing 3-0 to Modesto Junior College.

"We did well. I think overall, we passed the ball. We had our chances," said Ochoa. "The second half was much more even, I think chances-wise as well. But it's a learning curve. It was our first away game, and I think all that has something do with it, when you have to travel, and it kind of showed a little bit.

"We weren't ready from the beginning. But I think it's learning points. Hopefully the next away game we can show a little improvement."

Napa Valley is also continuing to look for that first goal of the season. "It's going to come," said Ochoa.

Napa Valley is also playing a very rigorous nonconference schedule, facing some of the top teams in Northern California.

"We have a group that really shows character. They're putting in the work, but (Tuesday), unfortunately, we gave (CCSF) opportunities in, I believe, their strength areas, and they put them away."

CCSF took a 2-0 lead at halftime.

The Rams scored at the 13-minute mark on a goal by Lesperance Pierre, a sophomore defender, on a header off a corner kick. The assist was credited to Joshua Abrego-Zambrano, a sophomore midfielder.

The Rams' second goal came from Xavier Alexander Elder, a sophomore forward, on a break-away at the 42-minute mark. The assist went to Anderson Jeovany Colocho Ortega, a sophomore midfielder.

The Rams' third and final goal came on a penalty kick by Elder at the 67-minute mark.

Napa Valley played very well at the start of the second half.

"The second half, I think the first 15-18, minutes, we were on them. We created a lot of opportunities, lots of corners, lots of set pieces. They were more intentional about how we attacked, but unfortunately, it didn't translate to a goal," said Ochoa.

"When it was 2-0, and we were on them, pressing it, you felt like, at any moment, we could score and change the momentum of the match."

Ochoa said it's the "best game" that the Storm has played.

"Today, we created a lot more opportunities. Today, we moved the ball better, up between lines. Today, we showed more confidence," he said. "And that's how we can begin to continue and hopefully the goals will come and reflect that."

The Storm has eight nonconference matches.

Napa Valley continues its season on Friday, Sept. 6 at Santa Rosa Junior College at 1 p.m.

"We're going to be as ready as possible, and hopefully we can get a result, hopefully get a goal. That's what we want," said Ochoa.

The Bay Valley Conference season begins on Oct. 1, with Napa Valley playing at Mendocino College-Ukiah.

* 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.