City College women’s basketball team looks to put last years dismal season in its rear view and look towards competing for a conference championship.

The Vaqueros start their season by playing host to two tournaments in two weekends. First, they will welcome Glendale, Fullerton and L.A. Southwest to the Bash by the Beach, which begins tonight at 5 p.m. Nov. 15 to 17 with the eight-team MTXE Tournament.

“We really need a game,” said head coach of nine years, Sandrine Krul. “We’ve been beating up on each other for 11 weeks now. We are in shape and ready to go and play someone else.”

MTXE stands for “Mental Toughness Xtra Effort” and at practice the team always plays 105 percent or coach Krul threatens “suicide sprints.” The Vaqueros will use their conditioning, speed and press defense to wear teams down.

“Run, run and run some more, that’s the goal,” Krul said. “On defense we will press, press and press more.”

The Vaqueros return just two players from last season. Guard/forward Keia Nobles (5-9) and guard/forward Sara Crane (5-11) return as “leaders.” Redshirt sophomores Booke Amenta (5-10) and Michelle Herrera (5-10) will captain the squad.

“The captain’s vote was so close and those girls are our on court leaders,” Krul said. Brooke Amenta is such a beast, [Crane] is so focused and intense and Keia and Michelle lead by example with amazing mental toughness and fire.”

The coaches agree that this is one of the smartest teams they have coached.

“They are very intelligent we have a lot of players that know the court and have a high basketball IQ,” said first-year graduate assistant coach Mercedes Gonzalez. “They know how to set each other up.”

Trust is the theme of this season. Last year saw a team implosion with a 7-game losing streak culminating in Crane being dismissed from the team for an in-game incident.  Crane returns with a renewed attitude ready to work.

“She’s done a complete 180,” said fifth year assistant coach Michelle “G” Jimenez. “She has really grown up and become a mentor to the younger girls.

The Vaqueros have their eyes set on a few match-ups in particular. When asked what team they wanted to beat the most the captains and leaders all shouted one name—Ventura.