Mt. SAC, Long Beach Break Long Droughts For SCC Women's Soccer Titles
When successful multi-state champion men's head coach Juan Sanchez was asked to do double duty as women's head coach last year, the Mt. San Antonio College women's soccer program immediately moved the needle in the right direction. On Tuesday, the Mounties completed a perfect 9-0 run to win the South Coast Conference North Division title. It was the school's first SCC championship in 25 years.
Meanwhile, Long Beach City College, a program that dominated the conference from 2000-2005, also snapped a long drought of 17 years since its last conference title in capturing the SCC South Division championship with an 8-1 record under head coach Eduardo Nunes.
The two schools received first-round byes going into the SCC Tournament to be played Nov. 4-11.
Mt. SAC (17-1) was ranked No. 4 in the most recent CCCSIA State Top 20 poll. LBCC was rated 10th.
The Mounties are led by midfielder Kaylee Gutierrez with a SCC-leading 16 goals and conference high 40 points, #2 SCC-leading scoring Karissa Vela with 37 points, and the conference's top assists player in Fatima Arnold with 14 helpers. Mounties goalie Leila Peregrina was tops in the conference in goals against average (0.34) and save percentage (.872).
Long Beach (14-2-2) suffered its only SCC loss at the hands of Mt. SAC, 1-0, on Oct 14. It was the only goal the Vikings allowed in nine SCC contests.
The Vikings have the Nos. 3-5 leading scorers in the conference in Diana Leon (15 goals), Genesis Lopez (14 goals), and Evelyn Sandoval (12 goals). Goalkeeper Vivian Toomey had a 0.66 goals against average and backstopped eight shutouts in conference play.
El Camino placed second in the SCC South at 5-3-1 and is paced by Allison Sibley with 12 goals while LA Harbor placed third at 4-3-2 behind strong play by Yamna Areola. Rio Hondo edged out Pasadena City by one point for second in the SCC North at 3-3-3, earning a 2-2 tie with the Lancers on Tuesday. Alexis Macias was a top playmaker for the Roadrunners. The SCC's #7-leading scorer Megan Schmidt tops PCC players this season with 11 goals.
SCC 2022 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
ROUND 1
Friday, Nov. 4
Game 1--#6 Pasadena City at #3 El Camino, 1 p.m.
Game 2--#5 Rio Hondo at #4 LA Harbor, TBA
Game 3--#10 East Los Angeles at #7 Cerritos, 2 p.m.
Game 4--#9 Compton at #8 Los Angeles City, 7 p.m.
ROUND 2
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Game 5--Highest Seed from Game 1/2 winners at #2 Long Beach City
Game 6--Lowest Seed from Game 1/2 winners at #1 Mt. San Antonio
Game 7--7th Place Final--Winner of Game 3 v. Winner Game 4
Game 8--9th Place Final--Loser of Game 3 v. Loser of Game 4
Game 9--5th Place Final--Loser of Game 1 v. Loser of Game 2
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3
Friday, Nov. 11--at El Camino College
Game 10--3rd Place Final--Loser Game 5 v. Loser Game 6, 1 p.m.
Game 11--Championship Final--Winner Game 5 v. Winner Game 6, 4 p.m.
Long Beach City College women's soccer team
