Cerritos began its quest for a second successive national championship with a pair of comfortable wins over Sierra College and Citrus College at the Sea Breeze Tournament in Oxnard.

The team kicked off the new season by shutting out Sierra, 5-0, and then Citrus, 4-0, on Saturday and Sunday.

Two goals and an assist from forward Jessica Ortiz led a balanced Falcon attack against Sierra.

Justine Tellas, Daniela Mendez and Ruby Leon all scored one goal apiece in the lopsided victory.

Telles blasted a free kick from 45 yards out that found its way into the back of the net in the third minute to start off the scoring.

Later, Nancy Gandarilla set up a goal for midfielder Leon in the 28th minute to give Cerritos a 2-0 lead going into halftime.

Only a minute into the second half, Ortiz put the game out of reach with a goal on a ball played in from Mendez.

A mere three minutes later, Ortiz repaid the favor by setting up Mendez for a goal.

Ortiz finished the day by adding a second goal just before the final whistle on a Lauren Ropp assist.

Even after a 5-0 win, head coach Ruben Gonzalez was still left wanting a bit more out of his team.

“It could have been six or seven to nothing. We played an average to above-average game. We just tired them out.

“Sierra is a physical team. I think we were just able to just wear them down,” he said.

The second game, against Citrus, proved to be more of the same for Cerritos.

The Falcons scored all four of their goals in the first half on a hat trick by Gandarilla, and another goal from Victoria Florez.

Gandarilla, Leon, Ortiz and Tatiana Cortes all chipped in one assist as well.

“After going up by three in the first 15 minutes, we were able to try out different things and try players in different positions,” Gonzalez said. “But because we had so many people playing, it was hard to establish a rhythm in the second half.”

He continued, “Overall, I’m happy with the balanced attack we had. A defender and four forwards all scored. We’re still finding our identity as a team though.”

Maybe Cerritos will prove to be a defensive team, with keeper Ericka Trejo and the defense already recording 110 minutes without conceding a goal.

Or maybe they will be a team that will put big numbers against anyone.

Six players have already scored a total of nine goals in the first two games.

Or maybe, as Gonzalez points out, they will simply be able to outwork their opponents all year, and wear them down over the course of 90 minutes.

The Falcons look to solidify that identity on Friday when they go against Taft on the road.

However, Gonzalez is looking at Sept. 12, as the biggest game of the young season.

That’s when Cerritos battles the No. 11 team in the nation, Cosumnes River, in Sacramento.

“Playing Consumnes River away, that will be a good test for us,” he said.