Katy Coats picked up where she left off last year when she was an All-South Coast Conference First Team midfielder for the Pasadena City College women's soccer team. Coats put on a scoring clinic with five goals as the Lancers opened the 2019 season with an 8-0 rout over Imperial Valley Tuesday afternoon. It was the first game played on Robinson Stadium's brand new artificial turf surface and it marked the 20th anniversary of the opening of the on-campus stadium.
Coats, who led the team last year in scoring with 11 goals, had the hat trick by the 41-minute mark of the first half. The sophomore started the game scoring, stealing a defender pass and firing in a shot from the 5-yard line for a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute. In the 18th minute, returning sophomore forward Erica Perez sent a lead pass that turned into a breakaway goal for Coats. That marked a streak of 15 straight PCC goals in which Coats was a part of (13 goals, two assists) going back to the start of the 2018 season.
In the 31st minute, however, that streak ended when Perez again sent a long ball that freshman forward Kaily Echeverria turned into a breakaway score and a 3-0 lead. In the 41st minute, Coats ripped a blast from 18 yards out as PCC took a commanding 4-0 lead into the lockerroom.
In the second half, Perez worked her magic again as she found a wide open Coats, who dribbled it 25 yards before depositing goal #4 in the 50th minute. Five minutes later, letterman forward Sophia Noriega got loose deep in the box, was stoned by Imperial Valley goalie Julie Rodriguez, but her rebound came right back to her as she drove in a short score. In the 60th minute, Coats received a pass by frosh midfielder Montserrat Menendez and rifled in a 25-yard shot high into the net. That ended the afternoon for Coats as second-year PCC head coach Francisco Cantero gave her a much-needed rest with the victory well in hand.
In the 73rd minute, the Lancers capped the scoring when Noriega sent a perfect cross inside the box to Echeverria, who one-timed it in for her second goal. Perez finished with three assists. Goalie Alyssa Holt played the first 45 minutes, made four saves and combined for a shutout with backup Natali Morales (six saves, final 45 minutes).
Coats is the only the third Lancer to ever achieve five goals in a game, joining Melissa Payne (school record seven on Oct. 10, 2000 in a win at LA Harbor and six in a win over Compton only four days before that) and PCC Sports Hall of Famer Jennifer Fish (five goals at Compton on Nov. 5, 1999) in the elite company. Her five goals matches a Robinson Stadium record set by Cerritos' Ruby Leon in an Oct. 27, 2009 win over the Lancers. PCC's eight goals is the most by the program since 2015 when they potted nine in a late-season win over Compton.
Echeverria, a top scorer out of Temple City High, finished with two goals but had numerous chances and broke through several times to take close-range shots. She took a game-high nine shots overall while Coats only had seven attempts. PCC finished with 22 shots, 16 on the net. IVC's best player was Rodriguez, who made nine saves, many of them dazzling stops on Lancers shooters.
Cantero talked about his '19 team, which has 23 players on the roster. "I'm expecting to play a lot of incoming freshmen because I want to watch them in action v. other teams rather than just see them in intersquad scrimmages. We're all very excited to watch this group compete because we have a good mix of returning talent and newcomers. Today, Katy had a very good performance, and took advantage of all the space Imperial Valley gave her. We possessed the ball very well for a first game and showed excitement in our offensive play."
Menendez, whose older brother played for PCC back in 2014, was a top midfielder out of Eagle Rock High. Coats, Echeverria, Noriega, Menendez and Perez all stood out as they used their speed and determination to create breakaways and a bevy of scoring chances.
Cantero has six returners from last season, including Selena Macias Farias at defender. Among the freshmen, the coach likes what he sees from goalie Holt (a top netminder from Monrovia High), midfielder Emelyn Meza (an All-Mission Valley League First Team selection from Marshall Fundamental), defenders Veronica Del Castillo (La Canada HS) and Jacqueline Gonzalez (also All-MVL at Marshall Fundamental), and redshirt freshman midfielder Isabella Gonzalez-Mosqueda (South Pasadena High). Frosh defenders Kimberly Milian Moreno (Hoover High), Viridiana Quintanilla (St. Mary's Academy), Laura Casillas (Eagle Rock), midfielder Priscilla Lucero (Central City Value HS) and forward Sharon Villalobos (Mendez High) each saw plenty of action in the opener
The Lancers will enjoy the win and return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 3 in a non-conference road game at Victor Valley College. Game time is 3 p.m.