SAN MARCOS — The Palomar women’s soccer team kicked off the 2025 season for all Comets’ sports, taking on the San Bernardino Valley Wolverines on Aug. 26.
One way to describe the roster of the 2025 Comets is fresh-faced. Less than a fourth of the players are sophomores returning from last year’s squad.
A lack of team-experience can have a significant impact in a sport like soccer where the outcome of a match relies heavily on ingrained team chemistry. That connection is formed over a prolonged period of playing together, and not over the course of summer practices and scrimmaging.
Still, Palomar’s team captain Naomi Allen (#24) is confident in the young team’s already-established bond.
“I feel like, as a team, we’re trying to get a really good team environment which I feel like we already have,” Allen said. “We all show up and show out together.”
In the first half of the game, San Bernardino dominated in time of possession, and Palomar’s defense surrendered two goals to the more experienced squad. These goals came from 12th and 35th minute strikes from Wolverines’ forward Anna Bailey and Ava Brown respectively.
The Comets had multiple corner kicks and set pieces, but they could not capitalize on their limited time of possession and headed into the second half down 2-0.
Both teams showed up for an action-packed second half with four goals produced by the dueling squads.
San Bernardino struck first, four minutes into the half, on a lob shot from Sienna Villalobos that was out of reach of Palomar’s goalkeeper Nathalie Mancilla.
Palomar finally got its break in the 60th minute. Freshman Cisilya Martinez (#10) buried a kick in the lower left corner of the goal for the first point of the game and the soccer season.
“It was pretty exciting, my first college goal too. I don’t know it’s just like high momentum,” Martinez said.
Before the end of the game, another Palomar freshman, Mia Magana (#12), scored after receiving a pass from Lizzy Cook (#25) in the center of the box. Magana wasted no time, and with a single touch put the ball past the opposing goalie.
“I was a little nervous, but like once I saw it in the back of the net, I was definitely more confident and I’m excited for the season,” Magana said.
The Comets fell 4-2, but the goals from Martinez and Magana prove that the young players will make a big impact on the team’s season going forward.
“San Bernardino Valley is a perennial playoff team, and so for us to come out and show the heart and desire with a relatively young team is very promising,” Head Coach Greg Cacioppo said. “If this is where we’re starting, I can’t wait to see where we’re going to finish.”
The Comets look to bounce back from their 0-0-1 start when they take on LA Pierce at 4 p.m. Aug. 29 at Palomar College.
For team and schedule information, visit the Palomar Athletics’ website.