Yes, there are national community college soccer rankings.
In fact, Southwestern College’s women’s team entered the week No. 5 in the latest poll — one rung up after handing No. 1 Chaffey College a stinging 2-0 defeat last Friday at DeVore Stadium.
Chaffey (3-1-1) remained at No. 1 in the nation despite the loss to the Lady Jaguars, who carried a spotless 4-0-0 record into Tuesday’s Pacific Coast Conference opener against San Diego Mesa.
The win over Chaffey was certainly an eye-opener on a hot afternoon and has to bolster Southwestern’s chances of winning this year’s PCAC title and contending for a playoff championship.
“We missed the playoffs by one spot last year and everyone is motivated to get in the playoffs this year and get to the final,” SWC head coach Carolina Soto said.
Southwestern scored at the 40-minute and 56-minute marks.
Southwestern 1, Chaffey 0
Photos by Phillip Brents
Southwestern 2, Chaffey 0
Photos by Phillip Brents
Sophomore forward Yulitza Castorena (Monte Vista) put SWC up 1-0 by coming up with a shot on a scrum in front of the Chaffey net. Sophomore forward/defender Azalia Nava (Morse) took the initial corner kick that sophomore forward/defender Jenica Stell (Bonita Vista) brought down and flipped over to Castorena to finish.
The Lady Jags made it 2-0 as Nava drove in with the ball on Chaffey goalkeeper Marlena Zaragoza and chipped the ball over the netminder’s outstretched arms and under the crossbar. It was a beautiful finish.
Sophomore midfielder/defender Rylie Ewert (Bonita Vista) was awarded the assist on the game-clinching goal.
“I was just thinking I needed to get to the ball,” said Castorena, who was voted last year’s PCAC Offensive Player of the Year. “I didn’t think it would go in but as soon as I saw the ball, I dove for it.”
“I had too much adrenaline to miss,” Nava said of her rising shot into the top of the net.
Freshman goalkeeper Aaliyah Campbell (Bonita Vista) preserved the shutout with several smart saves, including a diving stop early in the game while Chaffey was dominating possession.
“That was my first save of the game,” said Campbell, who attended UC Riverside last year. “Once I get my first save, I’m dialed in for the rest of the game. I’m locked in.”
Campbell made 11 saves in the match as Chaffey out-shot the hosts 11-5.
The Lady Jags — 30 strong in numbers — are a community team with players from, Bonita Vista, Hilltop, Helix, Morse, Monte Vista, Eastlake, Sweetwater, West Hills, Mar Vista, Montgomery, Southwest, San Ysidro, Ingenuity Charter, Mission Bay and Olympian high schools.
“They did everything we talked about,” Cosio said in regard to her team’s performance. “We knew the game was going to be difficult. We knew they were a strong team. We knew we could play with them. We deserved this win.”
Junior College Division III
Women’s Soccer Rankings
(Through Sept. 10)
- Chaffey (3-1-1), 2 Pasadena City (5-0-0), 3. Delta (2-0-0), 4. Sierra (3-0-2), 5. Southwestern (4-0-0), 6. Lake Tahoe (4-0-0), 7. Dallas-Brookhaven (1-2-1), 8. Folsom Lake (2-0-1), 9. Modesto (4-0-0), 10. Onondaga (6-0-0), 11. Saddleback (2-1-1), 12. Suffolk County (2-0-2), 13. Santa Rosa (5-0-0), 14. Jefferson (4-0-0), 15. Mt. San Antonio (3-2-1), 16. College of the Desert (3-1-0), 17. Hartnell (2-1-0), 18. San Francisco (1-1-1), 19. West Valley (3-1)
Photos by Phillip Brents
