Canyons Knocks Off No. 20 Santa Monica 5-2
COC (9-5-3, 6-2-2) now sits third in the conference, two points behind second place Santa Monica and 10 behind conference leader Citrus College.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Santa Monica
(10-5-3, 7-3-1)
|
1 | 1 | 2 |
|
Canyons
(10-5-3, 7-2-2)
|
3 | 2 | 5 |
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Santa Monica | Canyons |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 9 (6) | 11 (9) |
| Saves | 4 | 4 |
| Fouls | 9 | 6 |
| Corner Kicks | 1 | 3 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 |
Story and photo by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director
College of the Canyons scored five goals to knock off visiting No. 20 state ranked Santa Monica College by a decisive 5-2 final score on Friday.
Canyons (9-5-3, 6-2-2) now sits third in the Western State Conference (WSC), South Division, two points behind second place Santa Monica and 10 behind conference leader Citrus College.
The win was the second against a state ranked opponent this season, with the Cougars having also knocked off then No. 12 San Bernardino Valley College back on Sept. 13.
Friday's match had the look of a shootout from the beginning, with both teams scoring within the first eight minutes of play.
COC freshman Araceli Castaneda took a pass from Lesly Cabrera and beat the SMC goalkeeper to put the Cougars ahead 1-0 in the sixth minute.
The Corsairs (10-4-3, 7-2-1) answered right back, however, with Dayli Ramos able to beat Canyons keeper Aaliyah Lopez in the eighth minute.
Castaneda added her second score of the game on an unassisted goal in the 20th minute that put the game at 2-1. Castaneda's 11 goals lead the team and rank third in the WSC.
Freshman Emily Perez added to the scoring barrage with an unassisted goal in the 24th minute for a 3-1 score, which is where things stood heading into halftime.
The team teams combined for 20 shots in the game, with 11 coming in the first half. COC had 11 in the game compared to nine from the Corsairs.
Ceirra Little was able to get Santa Monica a bit closer with her score in the 58th minute, however, the Corsairs would come no closer.
Emily Perez booted her second goal in the 70th minute to give Canyons clear control of the match at 4-2.
Cabrera added a goal of her own in the 78th minute, with Jennifer Roney recording the assist, to make it a 5-2 final.
Lopez earned the win in goal after collecting four saves.
COC has won four straight, and six of its last seven, matches. The Cougars have outscored opponents 18-3 during that stretch with at least four goals in each contest.
Up next is a 3 p.m. road meeting vs. L.A. Valley College on Tuesday.
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.