M. Soccer: Shutout keeps Falcons unbeaten on the season

File Photo: Steven Ruiz posted a shutout in the Falcons win
File Photo: Steven Ruiz posted a shutout in the Falcons win

On the strength of their 5-0 non-conference win at Glendale College on Tuesday, the Cerritos College men's soccer team remained unbeaten (4-0-2) on the year. The Falcons, who scored three of their goals in the final 10 minutes of the game, will host Golden West College at 3:00 p.m. on Friday.

Holding a 2-0 lead with the game winding down to a close, Cerritos struck three times to put the game out of reach. Aggressively attacking the Vaqueros (3-2-1) defense, the Falcons saw the trio of sophomores Christian Perez (Paramount HS), Jaret Rocha (Paramount HS) and Enrique Penate (Downtown Magnet HS) all score, with the last two being unassisted. The goal by Perez was his first since his game-winner on November 22, 2017 in a 2-1 Southern California Regional Playoff win over Santa Monica College.

Perez scored his goal in the 80th minute when he received a pass from sophomore Gabriel Oropeza (Banning HS/Hope International University) and fired a shot past Glendale goalkeeper Mario Trujillo. A little over three minutes later, is was Rocha, who scored from his defensive position, with Penate capping off the scoring in the 89th minute.

Sophomore Pablo Caparelli (Real Salt Lake Academy, UT HS) got the scoring started in the 14th minute with his team-leading third goal of the season, with freshman Julian Vazquez (Salesian HS) helping the team take a 2-0 lead into intermission with his first of the season.

Freshman goalkeeper Steven Ruiz (Cathedral HS) turned away two shots to earn the shutout win in his first complete game performance.