On the heels of winning their 12th consecutive South Coast Conference championship, the Cerritos College women's soccer team has been seeded #4 for the upcoming Southern California Regional Playoffs. The Falcons (18-1-1), the five-time defending CCCAA State Champions, will open defense of their title on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when they host #13-seeded San Diego Mesa College. The Olympians (14-4-2) were the champions of the Pacific Coast Conference South Division for the fifth season in a row and are riding a four-game winning streak, while they are 7-0-1 in their last eight games. Cerritos has won their last 14 games, with the last six being shutouts.
The winner of the game will play next Tuesday against the winner of the #5-Chaffey game against #12-seeded Southwestern College.
Cerritos is led by freshman Mia Ramirez (Torrance HS), who is second in the state with 25 goals, while sophomore Itzel Ballesteros (Maywood Academy HS) is tied for the state lead with 23 assists, to go along with her 12 goals. As a team, the Falcons has had 16 different players score goals and average 4.4 goals a game, which is sixth in the state, with freshman goalkeeper Deisy Rodriguez (Katella HS) 17-0-1 on the year and has allowed only three goals all season. She has been a part of 13 shutouts, including seven full-game shutouts.
As for San Diego Mesa, they are led offensively by the tandem of Madison Cosgrove (11 goals) and Ana Sofia Solis (11 goals), while 18 total players have scored at least one goal on the year. Goalkeeper Lillian Hill has seen most of the action in net for the Olympians and has allowed just five goals in 17 games and has been a part of 12 shutouts.
Tickets for the game will be $12 for General Admission and $8 for students with school ID, college staff, senior citizens and children under 12.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
Play-in Games - Thursday, November 16
#17 Antelope Valley (9-5-4) @ #16 MiraCosta (12-7-2)
#18 Grosmont (13-6-3) @ #15 Los Angeles Pierce (12-5-3)
#19 Ventura (9-11-2) @ #14 Fullerton (11-6-3)
Round 1 - Saturday, November 18
Antelope Valley/MiraCosta winner @ #1 Santa Barbara City (17-0-1)
#9 Santa Monica (15-3-2) @ #8 Orange Coast (12-5-4)
#13 San Diego Mesa (14-4-2) @ #4 Cerritos (18-1-1)
#12 Southwestern (17-1-4) @ #5 Chaffey (17-4-0)
Grossmont/Los Angeles Pierce winner @ #2 College of the Canyons (17-2-0)
#10 Cypress (12-5-3) @ #7 San Bernardino Valley (18-1-2)
Ventura/Fullerton winner @ #3 Rio Hondo (14-3-2)
#11 Saddleback (10-5-5) @ #6 Santiago Canyon (17-2-1)