By MARTY JAMES
martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College men's soccer team won its regular-season finale in explosive fashion, scoring eight goals, including two by Yair Rafael-Gaspar, in an 8-0 Bay Valley Conference win over Yuba College on Friday, Nov. 15 in Marysville.
The win was the second in a row, and also the second straight by shutout, for the Storm (5-11-4 overall, 5-4-3 Bay Valley).
Napa Valley did not allow a goal in its last three matches.
The Storm outscored its last four opponents, 14-2.
Napa Valley took a 2-0 lead at halftime. The Storm erupted for six goals in the second half.
Seven players scored goals in the game for the Storm.
Four players had assists in the match.
In addition to Rafael-Gaspar, goals were also scored by Angel Olvera-Vega, Carl Osifo-Doe, Mateo Villanueva-Martinez, Edwing Saucedo Pacheco, Gedeon Ilunga and Jesus Medina.
Ilunga had three assists. Alberto Martinez Hernandez had two assists. Olvera-Vega scored the Storm's first goal of the game, off an assist from Gabriel Cendejas, at the 20-minute mark. Rafael-Gaspar made it 2-0 for the Storm, scoring a goal at the 30-minute mark. The assist went to Andrew Salguero.
It was all Napa Valley in the second half.
Saucedo Pacheco scored a goal in the 50th minute. The assist went to Martinez Hernandez.
Medina had the next goal, coming in the 55th minute. The assist was credited to Martinez Hernandez.
Rafael-Gaspar scored a goal in the 60th minute. The assist went to Ilunga.
The Storm's next goal came from Villanueva-Martinez in the 63rd minute. The assist went to Ilunga.
Osifo-Doe scored a goal in the 75th minute. The assist was credited to Ilunga.
The Storm's final goal came from Ilunga in the 80th minute. It was an unassisted goal.
Olvera-Vega played 45 minutes at goal keeper.
Osifo-Doe played 45 minutes at goal keeper and had one save.
Napa Valley went 3-3-2 in home matches during the season.
NVC is in fourth place in the Bay Valley standings. The Storm is 5-3-2 over its last 10 matches.
* 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.