RAGE vs San Juan – June 26, 2025

By: Loralei Rohrbach

PLEASANTON, Calif. (July 1, 2025)— The Pleasanton RAGE fell 2-0 to San Juan SC in a physical matchup Monday night in USL W League play. Though Pleasanton generated multiple chances and dominated possession in the second half, it was San Juan’s early breakthrough and late counterattack that sealed the result.

San Juan struck first midway through the opening half, capitalizing on a misstep in the RAGE back line that allowed the visiting side to easily score with replacement goalkeeper Sadie Brown outside of the net. The early goal shifted the game’s momentum and forced Pleasanton to play from behind, a challenge the squad struggled to recover from mentally. The second San Juan goal, scored in the latter stages of the match, came off a counter and appeared to be offside, further frustrating the RAGE bench.

“I thought we were the better team today,” head coach Sarah Fawcett said. “If I’m honest, I don’t think they even created a chance in the second half unless it came off a corner. I feel like we were on top of the game. We just gave up a silly goal in the first half that I think set the tone.”

That mistake proved to be a mental hurdle. As the game wore on, Pleasanton looked sharper and more aggressive but couldn’t convert. The RAGE lacked the finishing touch in the final third, and their usual high press began to fade as key starters rotated off the field. Pleasanton had multiple sequences where they applied pressure deep in San Juan’s defensive third, but often opted for one too many passes or hesitated before shooting.

“It’s just a mistake, right?” forward Marta Pelegrín said. “When the game is that difficult though, you can’t make that kind of error because then they relax and make less mistakes since they are up by a goal and can capitalize on their corner attacks.”

Pleasanton was again left ruing missed chances. The team’s attacking build-up was creative and dynamic in stretches, especially during the second half, but a combination of hesitancy and miscommunication in front of goal kept them off the scoresheet. Several shots were taken from difficult angles, and clear looks were passed up in favor of extra dribbles or lateral passes.

“We didn’t connect really well up top, the nine, eight, and 10 [forwards],” Pelegrín said. “We were there, but we didn’t take shots. How are we going to score without taking shots?”

According to Fawcett, the team is still searching for a go-to finisher: someone who plays with urgency and single-mindedness near the goal.

“We didn’t have the grit in the final third,” Fawcett said. “We’re creating opportunities, but we don’t have an out-and-out player who’s going to run through the ball and finish. There were moments tonight where players had chances and chose to pass instead of just shooting. We’re lacking that conviction.”

The match was also defined by its physicality. Hard tackles, body checks and off-the-ball shoves were common throughout, with both teams visibly frustrated by the referee’s unwillingness to step in. Delays in game flow caused by extended officiating conversations and time-wasting led to a choppy second half, with little momentum.

“It was really hard,” Pelegrín said. “The ref didn’t stop play. He just wanted a really physical game. I didn’t like that part.”

Forward Alejandra Melendez echoed those concerns, noting that while Pleasanton is typically comfortable with physical play, Monday’s match pushed the limits.

“It was super physical,” Melendez said. “The referee didn’t really address it, so it just continued. Usually that’s okay, but this game was a little bit too much.”

The disruption affected both teams but seemed to hurt Pleasanton more, especially during key stretches when they were building momentum. San Juan’s delay tactics, including slow restarts and prolonged throw-ins, went uncarded, which only added to the home side’s frustration.

“There was a lot of talking, a lot of pauses,” Melendez said. “Even both teams were like, ‘Let’s just get on with it.’”

Melendez also pointed to fatigue and rotation as factors in the team’s press weakening as the match wore on. She, Pelegrín and Quiroz started together and were effective early in pressing San Juan’s back line, but the chemistry dropped when substitutions were made.

“We know how to press together,” Melendez said. “Maybe we don’t have as much chemistry with other players. Pressing that high for 90 minutes though, that’s just a difficult task.”

In addition to missing sharpness in the final third, the RAGE were without veteran goalkeeper Sydney Head, who is the key emotional and tactical leader.

“She’s the spine of the team,” Fawcett said. “She organizes us, pushes us, and she never stops talking. We’re missing that key piece.”

Despite the loss, players and coaches maintained perspective on the team’s overall growth. With one match remaining in the regular season, the RAGE have already quadrupled their point total from last year, and are poised to finish fourth in the table.

“This season, we’re already at 16 points. Last year, we had four,” Pelegrín said. “It’s a big step, and positive progress for the RAGE.”

Fawcett said the results reflect the program’s development, even if consistency is still a work in progress.

“We’re going to finish in fourth, which is great– last season we finished seventh out of eight,” Fawcett said. “That’s progress. Now we just have to be more consistent through the back end of the season.”

Pleasanton will close out the regular season Sunday against Marin FC Siren. The match offers one final chance to show the cohesion, finishing quality and grit the RAGE have been building toward all summer.