Faced with an unfamiliar situation, the Cerritos College women's soccer team overcame an early deficit to post a 6-3 Southern California Regional Playoff win over visiting Moorpark College on Tuesday. The #1-seeded Falcons (21-1-0) surrendered an early goal, and after going up, 2-1, allowed a tying goal late in the first half. But just seconds before halftime, they took a 3-2 lead and went on to score three straight goals in the second half to post the win.

The post-season win was the 22nd in a row for Cerritos, who have won the last four CCCAA State Championships. They will host a 3rd Round game at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday against San Bernardino Valley, who defeated Rio Hondo College, 2-0. The winner on Saturday will advance to the State Tournament. The Falcons defeated Rio Hondo, 3-0 in the state championship game last year.

Facing the #8-seeded Raiders (14-5-4), Cerritos got off to a slow start and allowed a goal in the fourth minute when Taylor Biehl chipped in a loose ball on a scramble in front of the net. The Falcons controlled the ball inside Moorpark territory for most of the game and were able to tie the game in the 16th minute when sophomore Dana Jacobs (Yorba Linda HS/San Francisco State University) was able to get enough on the ball and scored through several pairs of legs in front of the net and past goalkeeper Emilia Feldman, who made six first half saves.

Just four minutes later, sophomore Ashli Villalobos (Mayfair HS/Cal State Los Angeles) drilled a shot from outside the 18-yard box that went under the crossbar for a 2-1 Falcon lead. However, the Raiders were awarded a penalty kick in the 40th minute when Jacobs was called for a hand ball inside the box. Karla Biehl converted the kick for a 2-2 tie late in the first half.

In what turned out to be a momentum-changing goal, Villalobos was able to score with just seconds remaining in the first half on a nice give-and-go with sophomore Carolina Jaramillo (Cetis 54, Tijuana HS) for a 3-2 advantage. Building on that late goal, Jaramillo scored twice in the first five minutes of the second half for a commanding 5-2 lead.

In the 48th minute, Villalobos was tackled in the box for a penalty kick, which Jaramillo converted, while she teamed with sophomore Jill Messersmith (Newport Beach HS) in the 51st minute on a nice touch pass that resulted in a tip-in.

The Falcons added an insurance goal in the 77th minute when Villalobos picked up her third goal of the game on a quick pass and shot from freshman Itzel Ballesteros (Maywood Academy HS). On the day, Cerritos outshot the Raiders, 25-4.

Photos by Daryl Peterson