Freshman forward Samantha Smith scored two key back-to-back goals in the second half, leading the Cerritos College women’s soccer team to its second South Coast Conference win against visiting Pasadena City College on Friday with a 5-1 victory.
Cerritos’ offensive attack kept visiting Pasadena in the game most of the first half.
“[In the] first 35 minutes we had what we came here for,” Pasadena City College Head Coach Randy Lilavois said.
It was not until the 11th minute of the first half that the Falcons’ offense got the spark they needed, which came off a cross pass from defender Victoria Carter to midfielder Julissa Castaneda which she headed in the goal past Lancers goalkeeper Jessica Capra.
“We had a let down in the last 10 minutes,” Livalois said.
The second goal was scored just two minutes after in the nine minutes of the first half.
Midfielder Lauren Nanez passed the ball off a free kick to follow midfielder Monica Ramirez who stopped and shot the ball pass the Lancers goalkeeper putting the Falcons up 2-0 with nine minutes left in the half.
The offensive attack for Cerritos did not stop there. With under a minute left to play in the first half the Falcons got a defensive stop and started advancing the ball forward towards the Lancers goalkeeper, when Cerritos midfielder Jenifer Mejicanos shot the ball from about 30 feet away scoring on a long shot to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead ending the first half.
Nanez helped keep the Falcons’ offensive attack on edge by getting her second assist of the game in 42 minute of the second half when her pass was received and converted into a goal by forward Smith.
Smith struck again eight minutes later by scoring her second goal of the game in the 34 minute of the second half giving the Falcons a 5-0 lead.
In the 19 minute of the second half Pasadena forward Alexandria Nomura scored the first and only goal for the Lancers.
Other than their ability to score at will, the Falcons defense kept the Lancers to only one goal.
Lancers Nomura described Cerritos defense as being fast and mirror like.
“Whenever I moved my player was with me,” Nomura said.
The Falcons, who beat Pasadena to put them at a South Coast Conference record of 2-0-0 and a overall record of 8-0-0, will face off against El Camino College Tuesday.
Cerritos College Head Coach Ruben Gonzalez declined to comment.