Just two games into their season, the Cerritos College women's soccer team has scored more goals (10) than they did through their first nine games last year. As a result, the Falcons are now 2-0-0 in the young season after a 4-3 win over previously unbeaten College of the Desert (2-1-1) on Tuesday. Cerritos will host Golden West College at 2:00 p.m. next Tuesday.

It only took the Falcons 1:01 to get on the board, as sophomore Lauren Vazquez (Mayfair HS) grabbed a bad pass from the Roadrunners defense and scored into an open half of the net. Facing a Desert team that came into the game with 14 goals scored, Cerritos had to hold them off with every goal scored. It was a 1-1 game nine minutes later, but the Falcons were able to score twice in less than two minutes to take a 3-1 advantage into halftime.

In the 25th minute, sophomore Victoria Adame (North Torrance HS) scored on a perfectly placed direct kick into the far upper corner of the net over the outstretched hands of Roadrunners keeper Jessica Uribe. Freshman Aryah Ayala (Cerritos HS) found herself alone against Uribe after a perfectly placed pass from sophomore Katie Alexander (Mayfair HS/Vanguard University). Ayala converted the play and fired a shot ito the back of the net.

Desert closed to within 3-2 in the 57th minute, with the Falcons scoring what would turn out to be the winning goal in the 73rd minute. On the play, Alexander sent another great ball from one side of the 18-yard box to the other to freshman Reghan Rosco (Montwood, TX HS), who chipped in a shot for her first goal of the season.

Once again, the Roadrunners closed to within a goal, as Monserrath Bedolla Guzman curved a free kick into the upper corner over freshman goalkeeper Victoria Ruiz (Applied Technology Center HS) in the 77th minute. With time running out, freshman Abby Juarez (Brea Olinda HS) was tackled in the 18-yard box, setting up a penalty kick. Looking for extra security, Alexander fired a shot over the crossbar. Cerritos was able to maintain possession the rest of the game and secured the victory.

Photos by Daryl Peterson