By Brandon Petersen

Well, that was a heck of a start. 

The Westcliff women's soccer team got its season off in style Thursday afternoon at the Great Park, where they were the visitors to host Hope International. 

The Warriors ended up making a little history as their 1-0 win over the Royals was the first victory in program history over an opponent that had received votes in the NAIA national women's soccer poll. 

And just like last year, it was Alberte Angersbach who scored the Warriors' season-opening goal. 

The score came on a penalty kick in the 29th minute. Angersbach skipped a roller to the left corner, another set-piece winner, the likes of which Warriors' fans have come to expect from Angersbach. 

"Technically, Albe is exceptional," Westcliff head coach Jack Gidney said. "I still don't think her dead balls have been her usual level yet, but the composure to jump skip on the penalty at 0-0 was remarkable."

While Angersbach handled the scoring, the day belonged to Westcliff's defensive performance, which was in a word, stifling. 

Christine Thorvaldsen drew the short straw and was matched up against Hope's Ryley Candelario, and although the Royals' star got off four shots, the most among her teammates, she only had one in-frame, and as a team, Hope only managed seven shots on goal. 

Thorvaldsen, whose speed is matched only by her relentlessness, was the day's star, according to Gidney. 

"The defense was outstanding," he said. "Christine Thorvaldsen in particular was everything you expect a Warrior to be. She was magnificent.

"She shut out one of the best forwards in the GSAC. Phenomenal."

Gidney spread the love around.

"It's not just the defenders," he said. " The press was all over the field. The forwards initiate and the reaction is from there. It was a true team performance, and the voices from the sideline to help communicate the organized press to the group was huge."

Westcliff had 11 shots, and five in-frame, with Marthe Engelstad leading with the way with two shots on goal. 

At the opposite end, Kiara Fontanilla was outstanding at goalkeeper, collecting six saves, including a diving stop early in the second half, and a clutch erasure on a Hope corner set-piece with three minutes left. 

"Christine and Ashley, our captains, defended and played like captains," Gidney said. "Merima Boehler stuck a leg or a head on everything and a clean sheet for Kiki Fontanilla in her first appearance was great."

Westcliff played like an incredibly seasoned bunch, particularly impressive against such a tough opponent right out of the gate. 

The Warriors accrued just a pair of fouls, eight fewer than the Royals racked up.

"It was a very tight game. Finely balanced," Gidney said. "The staff were fortunate enough to watch them on Monday and we came up with a specific game plan that the girls executed wonderfully. We rode our luck a little at times but that's soccer. You need it."

Up next, the Warriors will scrimmage with Chapman on Monday. 

Then they travel to the IE for a showdown with the University of the Redlands on Thursday. 

Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.