GILROY — Luis Ramirez may not have played a full 90 minutes, but he certainly made a difference for Gavilan.
The freshmen forward came off the bench and combined with Jorge Sanchez up top to score a game changing goal in the 73rd minute Tuesday, helping the Rams to a 3-0 win over Ohlone College at home.
Ramirez’s foot was itching with anticipation heading into the contest and he actually said he’d score before the game.
“I was just positive and very confident that I was going to have a good game today,” he said.
It was another Luis — Luis Galvan — that put the nail in Ohlone’s coffin, scoring the team’s final goal in 85th minute. He was assisted by Sanchez, who picked up his third assist of the game. Galvan had been shooting at the net all day and said it was nice to finally see one go in.
“I wasn’t expecting it, usually I try to set up my teammates,” the sophomore captain said. “It was a good ball from my other teammates so I thank them mostly. It felt good to finally get a stat for the season.”
The Rams (5-10 overall, 3-6 in conference) have had their struggles all season, but things seem to be taking a turn for the better. The win over the Renegades marks a two-game winning streak for Gavilan, something it hasn’t had since it’s first two games of the season.
“We’re feeling good, any win you want to celebrate,” Rams coach Justin Johnson said. “We look at this team the same as I told you before — we have a lot of talent on this team and we’re just trying to put the pieces together so that we improve every day and also improve for next year.”
The Rams dominated on both sides of the ball for a full 90 minutes. Offensively Gavilan came out swinging, taking an early 1-0 lead in the 9th minute off the foot of Manuel Meza. The Rams continued to put the pressure on the Renegades’ goalie, outshooting their opponent 13-6.
Gavilan did a stellar job of protecting midfield, led by the dynamic duo of Josue Salgado and Alejandro Gaeta. The Rams defense acted like a brick wall, keeping the ball out their zone to limit Ohlone’s chances.
“I think for the last four games our back line has really come together,” Johnson said. “We’re kind of finally picking up some of the things we’re trying to teach and implementing them in the game. It’s really nice to see.”
Gavilan will be back in action at 4 p.m. Friday, hosting West Valley College at home.
