Ending a 4-game road losing streak where the team tallied only one goal, the Pasadena City College women's soccer team returned to the confines of Robinson Stadium Friday. The home cooking proved to ignite the Lancers as Megan Schmidt scored twice to lift them to a 6-2 win over Los Angeles Valley College. (editor's note on Sept. 21--a scoring change was made altering the previous lead for this article).
PCC (2-4-1 overall) got things going in the 20th minute when Gabby Morales alertly flicked in Angie Alvarado's free kick from the 35-yard line for a 1-0 lead. Four minutes later, Schmidt redirected Alvarado's strong corner kick for a score. In the 34th minute, Morales used her corner kick to center a pass to a waiting Stephanie Martinez, who rifled in a goal from the 10-yard line. PCC took the 3-0 lead into halftime.
In the 73rd minute, Devin Zamora received a pass from Schmidt and roofed a shot into the upper back of the net that made it 4-1. After LAVC's Melanie Velasquez cut the Lancers lead to 4-2, Alvarado boomed another outstanding corner kick that was received by Isabela Guerrero. Her subsequent shot was deflected in off the foot of Athena Vournas with four minutes left.
Just before the game's final whistle, Schmidt scored her second goal, receiving a lead pass from Vournas before stopping on a breakaway to drive a high shot into the upper net. Schmidt finished with two goals and one assist, Morales a goal and an assist while Alvarado collected three assists.
The Lancers peppered 23 shot attempts (13 on goal) and nearly scored on a few other opportunities. In the 28th minute, Olivia Aguilar hit the cross bar and seconds later Alvarado's attempt from short range was tipped away for a save by LA Valley goalie Kristen Lum. Just before PCC's fifth goal, Guerrero lifted a shot that also hit the cross bar.
PCC starting goalie Stevie Mancillas made two saves in the first half to record the win. Reserve Jesua Garcia made four saves in the second half, including two diving stops. She robbed Karen Hernandez of a goal on a diving save to the corner post in the 67th minute.
On Sept. 7 in a 4-1 loss at Santa Monica (game was moved to SMC after heat conditions at PCC prevented play the previous day), Aguilar scored on a penalty kick three minutes into the second half. PCC then went scoreless the next 242 minutes, shut out v. Citrus on Sept. 9 (4-0) and Orange Coast (3-0) on Sept. 13.
"We are playing a tough non-conference schedule so I'm proud of the result today," said PCC head coach Terryn Soelberg. "I'm hoping this win can propel us forward into our next game."
On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Lancers host Santa Ana College, Soelberg's former college as an assistant coach. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
Megan Schmidt dribbles upfield during Friday's win
