File photo – Some of CR”s new recruits at a letter signing ceremony earlier this year.

A shorthanded College of the Redwoods men’s soccer team opened the new season with a 3-0 loss at Mendocino on Tuesday, but there were a number of notable performances, nonetheless.

COVID protocols meant head coach Kyle Van Dyke had just 13 players available for the trip, and it didn’t help matters when one of them went down injured in the opening 10 minutes, leaving the team with just one substitute for most of the game.

“It was a tough start, but overall we did okay,” the coach said. “We were pretty short on numbers, so it made it tough in the heat.

Two newcomers in particular stood out defensively for the Corsairs, with recent Fortuna graduates Angel Ornelas and Oscar Avendano both turning in strong debuts with their new team.

They weren’t the only standout performances, with midfielders Geovaney Ramirez and Fernando Garcia both also impressing in the season opener.

Up front, South Fork’s Ethan Kulchin also enjoyed a productive debut with the team, creating a number of chances.

Next up, the Corsairs will play at Foothill on Friday.

The CR men will play their home opener in mid September, which will kickstart a month-long home stand.