The Pierce College women’s soccer team played their most physical game of the year against Orange Coast College in the second round of the 2013 California Community College Athletics Association Women’s Soccer SoCal Regional which ended in penalty kicks.
The Brahmas were without head coach Adolfo Perez, who was suspended for six games due to not posting stats, and lost starting defender Karina Ramirez. Ramirez took a hard shot to the back of the knee and had to be lifted off the field by OCC’s training staff.
The Brahmas remain focused despite Ramirez’s injury holding the Pirates scoreless in the first 90 minutes of play. After regulation the score remained tied and overtime was needed.
The Brahmas finally got the space they needed in the first half of overtime, when forward Michelle Somers found midfielder Diana Argueta on a breakaway, who scored the game’s first goal in the 98th minute.
The goal sent the Brahmas into an ecstatic craze on the bench, but their excitement would not last.
In the closing minutes of the second half of overtime, OCC forward Shellie Zito took a shot that went under the crossbar but over the reach of Brahmas goalie Jenna Koziol to tie the game at 1-1 and forced the Brahmas into penalty kick shootout.
The Brahmas were unable to convert on two of their penalty kicks. With the game and Pierce’s season on the line Stefany Soto stepped up to take her penalty kick. Soto shot the ball off the crossbar, which meant the Pirates needed to convert just one more penalty to win.
The Pirates would convert the penalty kick and defeat the Brahmas 5-3, after a thrilling 120 minutes of play in which both teams could not best each other.
“It was a tough loss,” assistant coach Cruz Hernandez said. “These girls gave it their all and poured their hearts into this game. In the end we came up empty, but as a coach I couldn’t be more proud.”