Pirates wrap up season with 1-0 win over Hawks
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Santiago Canyon (2-16-2, 0-13-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Orange Coast (5-12-4, 3-8-3) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College men's soccer team found a way to close things out in style as the Pirates wrapped up the regular season with a 1-0 Orange Empire Conference win over visiting Santiago Canyon on Friday.
In a match that featured some spirited and feisty play from both teams, the Pirates' lone goal came courtesy off of a free-kick opportunity. After OCC was fouled just outside the goalie box area, Gabriel Garcia hooked a shot around the SCC defensive wall and into the back of the net for the match's lone goal of the afternoon.
Coast controlled play throughout most of the contest, outshooting the Hawks, 19-5.
The pivotal point of the match took place in the 52nd minute when the Pirates were called for a red card on a breakaway opportunity that sent the OCC goalkeeper off the field. Michael Matzuy came into the game with no warmups and on a blustery day at the OCC Soccer Complex, he stepped right into the fire as SCC had a free-kick opportunity from about the same area as Garcia's goal-scoring location. But Matzuy was up to the task, not only stopping the initial shot off the foot of Braydon Cerminelli, but also the follow-up shot attempt, keeping the Hawks off of the scoreboard.
From there the Pirate defense went to work and, after some helter skelter minutes of frantic play, OCC found composure and closed things out with a hard-fought win.
Matzuy finished with two saves, while Federico Pacheco notched one save. for SCC, Diego Saldivar had seven saves, including some top-shelf stops that kept his team within a goal throughout the contest.
