W. Soccer: Dominance by Falcons continues in 7-0 win

File Photo: Cerritos continues to post big results
File Photo: Cerritos continues to post big results

Continuing their dominance over opponents, the Cerritos College women's soccer team opened South Coast Conference play on Tuesday with a 7-0 win over host Los Angeles Harbor College. The Falcons (7-0-0, 1-0-0) ranked #1 in the country in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll among Division III (non-scholarship) schools, have now out-scored their opponents, 37-1 this season and recorded their fourth straight shutout. The team will play their first home game of the season this Friday at 2:00 p.m. against Compton College.

Cerritos has used a trio of sophomores to account for their offensive output, as Mia Ramirez (Torrance HS), Sydney Carr (El Modena HS/UC Irvine) and Serena Camacho (Los Osos HS/UC Irvine) have combined to score 30 of the team's goals, including six of the seven against the Seahawks (3-3-3, 0-1-0). Ramirez (12 goals) and Carr (11 goals) are third and fourth in the state, respectively and rank second and fourth in the state in points. Camacho is 14th in the state in goals and points.

Against Los Angeles Harbor, Ramirez picked up her second three-goal game of the season, and had a hand in five of the goals on the day. In the first goal of the game, freshman Gabriela Jimenez (Long Beach Jordan HS) grabbed a loose ball along the right side of the field and found Ramirez on a diagonal ball and she put the team in front in the 12th minute of the game.

Prior to the end of the half, the Falcons would strike three more times in the span of 10 minutes, including their trademark goal late in the half. Early in the 33rd minute, sophomore Gisselle Jimenez (Long Beach Millikan HS) fed a pass to Carr along the right side of the field, where she raced past her defender along the end line. After getting around her along the goal line, Carr fired off a shot into the far post. Just three minutes later, it was a 3-0 game as the defense cleared a ball, which got the play started. At the apex of a bounce, Ramirez was able to get up and head the ball to Camacho, who finished the play with a shot that went under the goalkeeper's diving body.

Taking a 4-0 advantage heading into intermission after sophomore Jennifer Lopez (Marshall Fundamental HS) sent the ball into the box on a free kick. That's where Ramirez headed the ball down to the feet of Carr, and she capped off the pay with a goal into the far post.

As a team, the Falcons took 17 shots in each half, and found the back of the net three more times in the final 45 minutes. Less than 10 minutes into the half, freshman Valeria Corrilo (Dominguez HS) won a loose ball at midfield and sent a pass over the top, where Ramirez outran the defense to gather the ball and sent a shot into the net. Freshman Claudia Paz (Huntington Park HS) had a hand in the team's final two goals, and she teamed with Ramirez to help her cap off the hat trick. Spotting Ramirez, Paz sent her a pass over the top on the right side, where Ramirez beat her defender and chipped a shot into the net. The final goal came in the 81st minute, as Paz saw her first shot attempt blocked by two Seahawks defenders. One last touch ended up on the foot of Corrilo, who controlled the loose ball and fired a shot past the keeper.

Posting her sixth shutout of the season, sophomore Deisy Rodriguez (Katella HS) made two saves and has yet to allow a goal on the year.