Raiders Wrap Up Preseason Ahead of Conference Opener

The Pierce College Raiders women’s soccer team has wrapped up a challenging preseason and is ready to turn the page as they prepare for West Region conference play with an overall record of 0-3-1. The team will close out its preseason schedule on Monday with a scrimmage against PLU in Spanaway, WA, before officially opening conference play.

The season opener at Whatcom in Bellingham set the tone for a competitive start. Freshman Grace Atkinson made an immediate impact, scoring her first career goal in the 24th minute off an assist from Jasmine Carrada. Elena Iniguez followed with a strike in the 37th minute, assisted by Ruby Pearson, but the Raiders ultimately fell just short in a 3-2 loss. Goalkeeper Rylee Kline anchored the defense with three saves.

At the NWAC Friendlies in Salem, OR, the Raiders showcased resilience against tough opponents. In their first match against Portland, Kline was exceptional in goal, recording 11 saves to keep Pierce in the match. Despite creating opportunities with seven shots on target—three from Iniguez and contributions from Alivia Kehn, Chelsea Avery, Teagan Ofiana-Kline, and Pearson—the Raiders dropped the contest 1-0.

Pierce bounced back with a 1-1 draw against Blue Mountain. Atkinson continued her strong start to the season by scoring the equalizer in the 47th minute, assisted by Pearson. Kline delivered another standout performance with 12 saves on 13 shots faced, while Avery led the offensive push with three shots on goal.

The Raiders closed out their official preseason schedule against Skagit Valley, where Atkinson again provided the spark, netting her third goal of the season in the 10th minute on a pass from Jaelynn Fuentes. She finished with four shots on goal, while Fuentes and Hali’a Maguadog each added one. Kline tallied six saves in the 3-1 defeat.

With several players emerging as key contributors and a defense anchored by Kline’s steady play, the Raiders are focused on translating their preseason lessons into conference success. Pierce opens West Region action on Tuesday, September 10, at 4:00 p.m. on the road against Lower Columbia in Longview, WA.