The Bakersfield College men’s soccer club team lost against Cal State University – Northridge’s club A team 2-1 on Feb. 14.

Both teams played the game aggressively, with the referee giving out nine yellow cards. Six of those cards went out to BC and the other three to CSUN. One yellow card from each team was given out due to colliding with the goalie.

BC’s Raul Carrillo scored the first goal in under ten minutes, giving BC the early lead.

In the first half CSUN got called on a handball in the box giving BC a penalty kick and a chance to strengthen the lead. BC missed the penalty kick but still had the lead 1-0.

Not long after the first handball call, BC gave up a penalty kick up to Northridge on a handball call once again in the box. CSUN’s Rogelio Martinez executed the penalty kick to tie the game 1-1. In the second half the Matadors shot on goal for it to be deflected by goalie and CSUN followed up the deflection for a goal and the win 2-1.

There were some calls by the referee that the BC players were not happy with and neither was head coach Pete Fox. For instance, the handball call that gave CSUN the penalty kick to tie the game, “from my perspective it wasn’t a handball…but it happens,” said Fox.

Fox’s response toward the referee’s calls was whether they were good calls or bad calls the team needs to brush it off because not all referees are going to call the same. “We need to respond better to adversity…overcome it and react in a positive way,” said Fox.

There were a handful of injuries out on the field for BC but nothing serious, but it cost BC to have to substitute throughout the game.

“We have a little bit of lack of fitness,” said Fox.

Fox also said that with the lack of fitness comes mental mistakes and mental mistakes are harder to maintain while not being fit. The mental state of the players is important to Fox because they need to be able think about the next play, “The most important play is the next play,” said Fox.

Bakersfield College doesn’t have an intercollegiate men’s soccer team, but Fox said that he had heard rumors that BC might be taking the club intercollegiate in the fall.

BC will be playing Antelope Valley College’s club A team on Feb. 21 and will also be facing off against UC Santa Barbara’s Club A team on Feb. 28.