Break out the Vuvuzelas! City College women’s soccer earned the No. 14 seed in the Southern California Regional playoffs and will play No. 3 Cerritos College in the first round.
The Vaqueros (11-3-4, 7-1-2 WSC) won five of their final six to finish the season as the Western State Conference North runner-up. City College scored 39 goals this season. Freshman forward Brandie Harris led the team with 32 points (14 goals, 2 assists) with Sandy Grimaldo just behind with 31 points (3 goals and 5 assists). Goalie Briana Robinson and the defense allowed just 24 goals against, recording seven shutouts.
“Being patient was one of the biggest things this season,” said Robinson. “When we’re down or make a mistake we keep beating ourselves up. We have been doing a good job to stay together as a team throughout the entire game.”
There will be two play-in games on Nov. 15, to even the brackets from 18 teams to 16 for the first round. The Vaqueros will travel to Cerritos College to play the Falcons at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.
“With regionals coming up were going to have to work twice as hard,” said starting freshman forward Brandie Harris. “We’re a good enough team to go far in the playoffs. We all work well together so as long as we work hard and continue doing what we’ve been doing we will definitely be successful.”
The Falcons (16-2-2, 11-2-1 SCC) won their seventh consecutive South Coast Conference title putting up the fourth-highest scoring total in southern California with 70 goals for and only 17 against. Their key players are Lauren Nanez with 44 points (15 goals 14 assists) followed by Claudia Ibarra with 36 points (12 goals).
“We will be ready,” said head coach John Sisterson. “ I know the girls will give it their all and that’s all I expect from them.”
The Vaqueros lost their WSC North title defense to rival Ventura this year. City College lost 4-1 and tied the Pirates in two meetings this year. The final WSC standings have Ventura in first with 28 points, followed by City College with 23 points and Moorpark, Hancock, Oxnard and Cuesta with 16, 10, 10 and zero points respectively. City College is currently ranked No. 22 out of 84 teams.
