The No. 1 ranked team in Northern California, Santa Rosa, visited Pleasant Hill for a Big 8 Conference game Oct. 24, only to shut down the Vikings just as they had a month earlier.

This time the score was 2-0, with Santa Rosa scoring both of its goals in the first half, one on a long-range goal that beat goaltender Courtney Hart high and right, the other on a corner kick that just trickled past the goal line.

Santa Rosa scored another goal at 9:53 but was disallowed as a result of being offsides.

The good news for DVC is that twice now it has held the No. 1 – ranked team to just three goals.

The recurring plotline is DVC’s lack of an offense, given the wipe-out of leading scorer Kristen Elms to an ankle injury. Despite missing the Vikings’ last 11 games, she still leads all Vikings with six goals.

DVC mustered only two shots on goal against Santa Rosa and never generated any scoring chances.

“The part we’re struggling the most with right now is the final third of the field and being dangerous,” said Coach Cailin Mullins. “It’s hard to win games when you’re not scoring.”

Mullins said DVC is concentrating hard on the offensive side in practice, with lots of drills and repetition.

Despite DVC’s disappointing 1-8-1 conference record (7-9-2 overall) the Vikings are still in the thick of the Northern California playoff race.

As of Oct. 29, the Vikings rank 11th in the Northern California standing, of which the top 16 make the playoffs.

“It’s going to take at least three more wins, possibly four,” predicted Mullins. “Teams that are below us in our standings in our conference are definitely must wins. We can’t afford to lose those opportunities.”

“Yes, every game from here on out is a must-win if we have any hopes in getting in to playoffs,” echoed midfielder Kathryn White. “[But] we don’t look at the standings. We concentrate on ourselves and try to focus on being the best team we can be.”

DVC has four games remaining, with a tough test at home in the season finale against American River, which is No. 2 in the Big 8 Conference on Nov. 14.

Help could be on the way.

Elms, who was earlier believed to be out for the year, is a couple of weeks away from returning to the lineup. She would provide DVC with a much- needed offensive boost for the playoff run.