(Whittier, CA) For the first time in 26 years, the No. 4 Seed Mt. SAC Women's Soccer team is headed back to the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships.
"I'm happy for the women to be there for the first time since 1996." Mt. SAC Women's third-year coach Juan Sanchez said. "It was just a crazy day."
Sanchez was referring to his doubleheader day in which his men's team in the afternoon defeated Golden West, 2-0, to also advance to the state championships.
"Just looking at those young women and what they did is just amazing," Sanchez added. "I'm glad to see them shine and see the joy and all the hard work."
The last time the Mounties were in the state championships was in 1996, they were attempting to go back-to-back as they won the title the year before 1995. They also won it in 1992. The coach of those teams was retired Associate Dean/Associate Director of Athletics and Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductee Debbie Cavion.
Mt. SAC moves on to the championships with a 1-1 tie over No. 1 Seed Rio Hondo, as the Mounties advanced on Penalty Kicks, 4-3, Saturday (November 27) in the third round of the CCCAA Southern California Regionals.
Tied 3-3 in penalty kicks, Rio Hondo had a chance to win the game but missed. Freshman forward Angeles Jacobo then gave the Mounties a 4-3 lead, which was followed by a miss by Rio Hondo's Alicia Mariano and the Mounties celebrated the win.
With the victory, the Mounties' (16-2-6) unbeaten streak has reached 19, and they will host the state tourney next week (Dec. 3, 5). Mt. SAC has also won the most games in a season since 2000 when the team won 17 games.
Mt. SAC, which is seeded No. 2 South, will play No. 1 North Hartnell (20-2-2), a 3-2 winner over Sierra, in the NorCal Regional Finals Friday (Dec. 3).
The other two state semifinal teams are South No. 1 Cypress and North No. 2 Fresno CC.
This is the third time Rio Hondo and Mt. SAC have met this season. The first time was a draw in the South Coast Conference regular season, while the second time was for the SCC Tournament Championship. The Mounties won it on PKs.
Mt. SAC took the 1-0 lead in the 16th minute on a good strike from the top of the 18-yard box by Kayla Allen on an assist from midfielder Kaylee Gutierrez.
With only 10 minutes remaining in the game and the Mounties holding the 1-0 lead, the Roadrunners tied the game, 1-1, on a broken play on a cross in consequently the Mounties redirected the ball and Toni Gonzalez scored for Rio Hondo in the 80th minute.
In the penalty kicks after the two scoreless overtime periods, the four Mounties to score were Allen, Deanna Rojas, Gutierrez, and Jacobo.
It was a tense penalty kick phase of the game, which took 12 players before it was decided.
Playing her usual stellar game was Peregrina. The freshman has only allowed five goals in the last fifteen games, which includes 10 shutouts in that span. In the Rio Hondo game on Saturday, Peregrina made six saves in the 120-minute game.
"Our goaltender Leila is big time," Sanchez concluded.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.