Cougars Earn 2-1 Home Win over Pasadena City

The hard-fought victory snapped a two-game skid for Canyons (2-3-2).

College of the Canyons sophomore Francisco Ornelas got open in space and made a nice move to beat the Pasadena City College goalkeeper and tie the game 1-1 in the 41st minute. Canyons would go on to win the match by a 2-1 final score. -Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information
College of the Canyons sophomore Francisco Ornelas got open in space and made a nice move to beat the Pasadena City College goalkeeper and tie the game 1-1 in the 41st minute. Canyons would go on to win the match by a 2-1 final score. -Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information
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September 19, 2021

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

College of the Canyons earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory vs. visiting Pasadena City College on Friday, after Josh Swanson was able to convert on the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute.

Swanson took a touch off the foot of Guillermo Martinez and booted it home to break a two-game skid and get Canyons (2-3-2) back in the win column.

The Cougars had previously lost at home to No. 1 ranked Taft College, on the road at Oxnard College and away at No. 12 Fresno City College thus far this season.

Canyons found itself facing an early 1-0 deficit after the Lancers (2-5) scored an early goal in the 2nd minute of action. That score came unassisted by way of PCC's Elias Galaviz.

The Cougars continued to pressure and attack, until Francisco Ornelas finally got open in space off a nice touch from Darian Cerin. Ornelas made a nice move and beat the PCC keeper to tie the game in the 41st minute.

That's where things stayed knotted until Swanson's game winner near the end of regulation.

COC goalkeeper Ivan Kerum started and earned the win. He recorded six saves in the match.

Pasadena earned three corners compared to two from the Cougars. Both teams managed a strong attack with COC edging the Lancers 13-12 in total shots.

Friday's game also featured the debut of the COC men's soccer on the new Cougars Sports Network, with the match being livestreamed to audiences via the COC Sports Information YouTube page. Be sure to subscribe and follow for livestream links on game days throughout the 2021 season.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.  

—Photo by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information