Making the jump from their initial college stops to the NCAA Division I level has proven challenging for soccer goalkeepers Alexa Malaspina and Sammy Martinez, to say the least.
Still, when they’ve gotten the chance to mind the net for their current schools, the former small-school stars from Santa Cruz County have shown flashes of potential.
Each is now at her second Division I university and third college overall. Malaspina, a Monte Vista Christian School graduate, is at Sacramento State, where she’s made three starts, garnered 20 saves, and even recorded two wins for the Hornets. Martinez, a St. Francis High alum, is at San Diego State, where she’s preserved two shutouts in a relief role.
Sacramento State sophomore goalie Alexa Malaspina, a Monte Vista Christian School alumna, started her collegiate career at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, a Division II school. (Sacramento State Athletics)
The goalies’ career arcs have been remarkably similar: Malaspina started out at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, a Division II school for whom she went 10-5-2, recorded six shutouts and at one point earned Goalkeeper of the Week honors in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Martinez, meanwhile, was a first-team junior college All-American at Hartnell College in Salinas, where she stopped 79.2 percent of the shots she faced in leading the Panthers to a Coast Conference title.
From their initial schools, each goalie transferred to a Division I school in a neighboring state: Malaspina transferred west from Colorado Springs to the University of Utah. Martinez headed north from California to Oregon State.
“I wanted to be challenged more,” said Malaspina, of why she made the leap. “I love learning soccer. I love developing. It was always my goal to play Division I – that’s what I was always striving for.”
Neither goalie, however, saw any action at their first Division I schools. That prompted them to seek better opportunities elsewhere.
“It was definitely tough for me mentally, coming off a big season my freshman year,” Martinez said. “But when you’re competing and training to compete at the top level, you have to find a way to keep going.
St. Francis High alumna Sammy Martinez, a former JC All-American goalie at Hartnell, has seen action in two matches for San Diego State since transferring from Oregon State. (SDSU Athletics)
“Oregon State’s program was just not for me anymore,” added the junior, who will return to OSU on Thursday when San Diego State takes on the Beavers. “I was not exactly happy playing the sport that should make me happy. I’ve found some comfort being back in California.”
Malaspina’s experience at Utah was similar: When the redshirt sophomore’s coaches informed her that she wouldn’t receive the playing time she was hoping for, she came home to California.
“I really, really wanted to be close to my family,” Malaspina said. “To be supported by my family and have them be able to come to games was up there for me” when determining where to transfer.
She might have been a starter out of the gate at Sacramento State were it not for late-season injuries she suffered while playing for the Monterey Bay Sirens, a semipro team. Malaspina suffered both a concussion and a foot injury that limited her early on.
Malaspina admits being shocked to learn just how much faster the pace is, and how much quicker shots come at her, in Division I after her lone season in Division II. It’s required a tougher level of fitness – and the ability to react more quickly – than she was used to.
Junior goalie Sammy Martinez, a former JC All-American at Hartnell, has made two saves in 27 minutes of action for San Diego State this season. (SDSU Athletics)
All of those things are perfectly OK with Malaspina.
“I love to be challenged,” she said.
She’s certainly proven she’s up to it: Malaspina earned her first Division I victory against Southern Utah on Aug. 27 and followed that up with a win over Fresno State on Sept. 3.
It helps that Malaspina excels at quarterbacking Sac State’s defense, according to Hornets goalkeepers coach J.J. Wozniak.
“She communicates well,” Wozniak said. “She organizes players in front of her and does extremely well at using her voice to move teammates into a position where they’re attacking their opponent.”
Martinez hasn’t seen as much playing time as Malaspina: She’s spent a combined 27 minutes in goal in two matches for San Diego State, garnering two saves. However, no opponent has scored on Martinez yet.
Still, Martinez is intent on proving herself in the minutes she does receive, capitalizing on the experience she gains, and learning quickly from her mistakes as she prepares to compete for a starting job next season.
“Any game they need me, I’m there,” she said.
Malaspina is majoring in communications with a minor in real estate. She hopes to either become a realtor or a property manager.
Martinez is studying kinesiology and psychology in hopes of becoming either a physical therapist or a sports psychologist.
For now, though, the two are thrilled to be able to test themselves against shooters at college soccer’s highest level.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to play at the D-I level,” Malaspina said.
COUNTY CONNECTIONS
County Connections runs every other Thursday during the academic school year. If you have an update on a local college athlete, email Ray Hacke at raydhackelaw@gmail.com.