Maybe it was the bright lights. Maybe it was the glittering opponents. Maybe it was the beating it took earlier in the day.

"Maybe it was all of it combined," said freshman Jessica Fogeltanz.

Whatever it was, something got into the Ventura College women's soccer team Thursday night in the BK Sports Community College Classic at the VC Sportsplex.

After a disappointing 2-0 loss to San Diego Mesa in the afternoon, Ventura, ranked No. 15 nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, came back to tie five-time state champion Long Beach City 1-1 in the nightcap before several hundred loud fans.

"We struggled a bit this afternoon," said coach Steve Hoffman, "but this was much better."

After Long Beach went ahead on a first-half goal by Brooke Ehinger on a counterattack, Fogeltanz evened the score in the 47th minute with a beautiful header after some good play on the flank by sophomore Marisol Arevalo.

"I think everyone realized, This is how we should be playing,' " said Fogeltanz.

Sophomore goalkeeper Alyse Quiroz made a game-saving stop on a Long Beach free kick in the final moments.

The Pirates (2-1) have plenty of obstacles to retain the level of success to which the program is accustomed. The roster features just four fit sophomores, Hoffman is implementing a new 3-5-2 system and Sienna Kluck, the program's leading scorer, has graduated.

"We have so many new players," said Quiroz, "some don't even know who Sienna was."

And then there is the injury situation.

Midfielder Leslie Simon played with her arm in a cast. She broke her arm in the opening game earlier in the week. Center back Michelle Jameson, who tore knee ligaments with the basketball team in February, remains sidelined, itching to play.

"We're like a hospital ward," said Jameson.

The best news Thursday was that forward Brittany Muse, who hadn't played since breaking her leg just before her 18th birthday in February 2005, came on and played 30 minutes of soccer for which she'd been thirsting.

"It was an adrenaline rush," said Muse.

Men kick off: The Oxnard and Moorpark men's soccer teams begin their seasons this afternoon.

The Condors host Chaffey, which they defeated 1-0 in Rancho Cucamonga last season, at 4 p.m.

"We're pretty balanced," said Oxnard coach Ross Greaney. "The last few years, we're relied on one player to score the goals."

This year, several Oxnard players, including defender Eduardo Ayala and midfielder Gaby Gonzalez, are coming off a summer playing with the Ventura County Fusion.

Moorpark, which finished second in the WSC North last year, hosts Orange Coast at 4.