Warriors defeat Mounties to advance to third round of 3C2A playoffs; Updated brackets available

Regional Brackets (thru Nov. 21)
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TORRANCE - The No. 1 El Camino College Warriors men's soccer team defeated the No.8 Mt. San Antonio College Mounties 2-0 in the second round of the 3C2ASouthern California Regionals.

The Warriors (21-1) defeated the Mounties (8-6-9) for the third time this season and the first time this season at Warrior Field.  The Warriors previously defeated Mt. Sac at their place 3-0 to begin South Coast Conference play and 3-0 in the SCC Tournament Championship game at Long Beach.

Unlike the first two games where the Warriors held a 2-0 lead heading into the second half, the game was scoreless in the first half.  The Warriors were the better side and outshot the Mounties 6-1 in the first half, but never seriously threatened the Mounties' goal.

It remained scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the second half with Donovan Palomares making two huge saves to keep the Mounties off the board.  He saved a breakaway shot by Jacob Cervantes in the 54th minute and a minute later he saved a Victor Fregoso shot from 12 yards out.  Palomares made four saves for his 14th clean sheet of the season.

Finally, in the 71st minute, the Warriors got a goal out of nothing against the run of play.  Nicholas Baltazar launched a long ball from the halfway line to the box.  Marvin Gamez distracted the keeper but did not make a serious attempt for the ball and the ball bounced up and over the Mounties keeper to put the Warriors atop 1-0. For Baltazar, that was his first goal of the season.

The Warriors doubled their advantage in the 79th minute. Marvin Gamez dribbled down the right side and passed a ball to Jovanny Mejia near the right side of the box.  Mejia crossed the ball to the top of the box and Alex Salas nailed a perfect drive into the left upper 90 of the Mounties net to make it a 2-0 game.

The Warriors were able to see out the rest of the game without conceding a good look for the Mounties to preserve the win.

The Warriors will host the winner of the No. 13 Rio Hondo vs No. 12 Antelope Valley game on Saturday at Warrior Field. Those sides will play Wednesday night at 7:00 pm.  Kick-off for Saturday's match is set for 2:00 p.m. The winner of that match will head to the CCCAA State Championship Semifinals hosted at Mt. Sac the following weekend.  

(Rafael Guerrero, El Camino College Athletics)