Cougars Take Third Straight 3-1 Over College of Sequoias

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

College of the Canyons won its third straight match in a 3-1 home result over visiting College of the Sequoias on Tuesday, with another strong defensive effort that was buoyed by a pair of early goals for the Cougars' side.

Canyons (3-1) has outscored its opponents 6-2 on its current streak having allowed a lone goal in each of its last two contests. 

Once again it was the strong play of the Cougars' defensive and midfield units that produced opportunities for the Canyons attack. COC then made the most of its chances with all three of its recorded shots converting for goals.

Sophomore Julian De La O put Canyons on the board first with a nifty touch that soared over the head of the Sequoias keep for the early 1-0 advantage. That score in the 25th minute was the first of the young season for De La O and came by way of an assist from Gage Fritz. 

Less than five minutes later it was Jacob Davila able to power post the COS goalkeeper with a touch that put the game at 2-0 in the 30th minute. Davila's first of the season was assisted by Alejandro Chavez and gave Canyons a decisive upper hand heading into halftime.

Sequoias (1-2) made a change in net to begin the second half with backup goalkeeper Julian Vicente Lau replacing starter Antonio Espinoza (0-1), who eventually took the loss.

COS put its only goal away in the 52nd minute when Ernesto Pacheco was able to sneak one best the reach of Canyons sophomore Chase Moynihan. 

Making his second start of the season, Moynihan (2-0) was brilliant in his 68 minutes of play before being removed after a collision near the goal post. He was credited with seven saves on the evening, including a big stop vs. Pacheco on a penalty kick in the 36th minute.

Canyons played the rest of the way with sophomore Adam Soria in net, who recorded a pair of saves in his nearly 23 minutes of action. 

The Giants nearly tied the game late in the second half on a run that resulted in a goal, but quickly had that score nullified on an offsides call.

The Cougars earned four corner kicks in the match, with all coming in the second half, compared to just two for COS. Each side was issued a yellow card. 

The three-game win streak is the first for Canyons since the 2018 season, when the Cougars recorded a pair of three-game streaks en route to winning the program's first Western State Conference (WSC), South Division championship.

The Cougars were next face a series of opponents from the northern region with a road match vs. West Hills Lemoore on Friday, Sept. 8 before returning home to host Fresno City College Tuesday, Sept. 12.

COC then has another northern swing with scheduled contests vs. Monterey Peninsula (Sept. 14), Santa Rosa (Sept. 15) and Santa Barbara City College (Sept. 19) all on the docket.

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 X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo courtesy of Luc Caouette