The SBCC women’s soccer team ran out to a 2-0 lead and held on for a 2-1 victory in a first-place showdown with Ventura on Sunday night.
The Vaqueros’ Mekaylla White tallied the first goal with a header in the 33rd minute, while Sean O’Brian scored on a loose ball in the box in the 63rd minute for the ultimate game-winner.
“We played very well in the first half and we could have had more,” said SBCC coach John Sisterson.
“Sean was brought down in the box twice but the referee didn’t call it either time. Sean played a nice weighted ball over the top of the defense for Mekaylla to score the first goal. Molly’s free kick was a 35-yard rocket that hit the underside of the bar and came right to Sean.”
SBCC has 23 points and is three points ahead of second-place Cuesta and four in front of Ventura. The Vaqueros and Ventura have two games remaining, while Cuesta has only one.
SBCC is the two-time defending champion and will take on Oxnard at 7 p.m. Tuesday for a chance to clinch yet another title.
MEN’S SOCCER
SBCC 0, SANTA MONICA 0
SBCC couldn’t muster much offense at La Playa Stadium on Sunday in a makeup game that was initially delayed by the Getty Fire.
“Our offense wasn’t quite there today,” said Christopher Robinson, the Vaqueros’ top scorer with seven goals. “I don’t know if it was playing so many games in such a short time, that kind of drains us a little bit.
“We weren’t as creative as we usually are. Santa Monica was pretty solid on defense.”
In the 26th minute, SBCC’s JahMikaili Hutton looked to have scored, booting a ball off the top bar, a ball that some players felt crossed the line.
“From my angle, it looked like that went in,” said central defender Neil Gilles, a sophomore from Perth, Australia. “We were hustling all day and played solid defense.”
The Vaqueros moved to 9-3-5 overall and 2-2-4 in the WSC North.
email: nmasuda@newspress.com
