Rams open season 1-1, look to return to postseason after one-year absence

Starting goalkeeper Fernando Escobedo is one of 12 sophomores on the Rams 2022 roster. (Photo by Eric Sun)
Starting goalkeeper Fernando Escobedo is one of 12 sophomores on the Rams 2022 roster. (Photo by Eric Sun)

The City College of San Francisco men's soccer team has split its two games to begin the 2022 season and is 1-1 heading into Tuesday's (Sep. 6) 4 p.m. non-conference game at Contra Costa College.

The Rams opened with an impressive 3-1 victory at Napa Valley College on August 30 and is coming off a tough 2-1 loss to Santa Rosa Junior College in their home debut on Friday.

Goals by Alejandro Palos and Georgi Stoyanov gave CCSF a 2-0 lead at halftime against Napa Valley before Raymond Langford scored late to seal the victory.

Against Santa Rosa, Palos netted the equalizer in the 64th minute for the Rams only to see the Bear Cubs put in the winning goal in the 75th minute to steal the game.

Palos is one of 12 sophomores on the 2022 roster for the Rams. He's is off to a great start by already surpassing his goal total in 13 games last season. He was tied for fourth in points on the Rams last season with six (1 goal, 4 assists).

Goalkeeper Fernando Escobedo returns from last season and will now take his turn as the Rams starter. He saw action in just five games in 2021 but should see the bulk of the time in goal.

Head coach Adam Lucarelli's squad is coming off a 2021 season that saw the Rams compile a 9-7-2 overall record and go 6-5-1 in Coast Conference South Division play to end in fourth place. CCSF won four of its final six games in a late postseason push but missed the Northern California Playoffs for the first time over the past five seasons.

CCSF is scheduled to play its next four games on the road before returning home on Sep. 27 to host Cabrillo College in their Coast Conference opener.