With all levels of their game improving with each match, the Cerritos College women's soccer team turned in a 2-1 South Coast Conference win over visiting Pasadena City College on Friday afternoon. The win by the Falcons (5-7-1, 4-1-1) was their first at home this season, while the team will play two of their final three regular season games on the road before the conference tournament. Cerritos will travel to Mt. San Antonio College next Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. game.

One of the ways the team has shown the most improvement has been their aggressiveness on offense. In fact, both of the goals that were scored was because the Falcons crashed the goal and got past the Lancer defense.

In the 14th minute, freshman Hailey Lopez (California HS) charged toward the Pasadena City goal and after getting off the first shot, freshman Victoria Adame (North HS) was right there to clean up the play, as she deposited the ball into an open portion of the net for her third goal of the season.

Another manner in which the Falcons have improved their game as been their ability to maintain possession of the ball with better passing. The skill has alleviated the pressure on the defense and goalkeepers, while Cerritos limited Pasadena City to just one shot on goal, while their lone goal came as a result of a penalty kick in the 58th minute. 

Coming out of the half with a 1-0 lead, the Falcons quickly doubled their lead in the 47th minute when freshman Jaque Adame (North HS) fired a free kick from 30 yards out that hit under the crossbar, but did not go into the net. On the play, freshman Meghan Legayada (Sunny Hills HS) was following and timed the ricochet off the crossbar perfectly, as she arrived in time to head the ball into the goal for her third goal of the season.

Freshman Cassandra Contreras (Hacienda Heights Wilson HS) made just her second start of the season and recorded the win, while making one save. She was aided by the defensive play of Celeste Dominguez (Downey HS), Nadiah Palomares (East Los Angeles Performing Arts Magnet HS), Giselle Ramirez (Smidt Tech HS), Mary Morales (Santa Ana HS) and Valerie Becerra (La Serna HS), as they cleared away and potential scoring threats from the Lancers.

Photos by Daryl Peterson