ECC men’s soccer team’s unbeaten run ended by Cerritos College

By Matthew Sandoval|October 12, 2019

The referee talks to Cerritos and El Camino College’s men’s soccer team players after tensions flared during the game at the PE and Athletics Field on Friday, Oct.11. There were a total of 32 fouls recorded in the match. Viridiana Flores/ The Union

With both teams coming into this game on a seven-game win streak, tempers flared early in the physical matchup that brought an increased police presence on the sidelines due to a fight that broke out the last time these two teams played each other.

A total of 32 fouls were recorded in the match.

Fans and scouts packed the sideline for the showcase matchup between two undefeated teams—the No. 2 ranked Cerritos College men’s soccer team and the No. 4 El Camino College Warriors on Friday, Oct. 11.

No. 4 ranked @ECCWarriors men’s soccer team (8-0-1) vs. No. 2 @CerritosFalcons (10-0-1) is underway. Both teams looking to stay undefeated on the season. #eccunion #menssoccer #SCC pic.twitter.com/REBDgddCSo

— Matthew Sandoval (@ECCUnionMatthew) October 11, 2019

Cerritos College’s leading goal-scorer Bryan Ortega opened the scoring early in the game, earning “Player of the Match” honors after leading the Falcons to a 4-1 win over the Warriors with a hat trick.

“[Ortega] just absolutely took over this game,” Cerritos coach Benny Artiaga said. “[It felt like] there was one player on the field. He was a man amongst boys today.”

ECC applied the pressure on defense from the start but Cerritos found a way to slice through the midfield to put up seven shots in the first half against ECC goalkeeper Luis Garibay, who earlier this week was named the United Soccer Coaches National Junior College Player of the Week.

“Overall, I feel like we did a pretty good job, we had our chances but just couldn’t finish it,” Garibay said. “I knew coming into this game that Cerritos was going to be a tough team. I wanted to get a shutout but unfortunately it didn’t come out that way.”

Story — Players from the El Camino and Cerritos College men’s soccer team look up to get a midair soccer after a set-piece during the game at the PE and Athletics Field on Friday, Oct.11. Viridiana Flores/ The Union

Ortega put the unbeaten Falcons on the scoreboard first with a goal to the back of the net in the 15th minute of the first half, adding to the lead in the 28th minute with another strike to the right corner of the net.

Cerritos stayed in attack-mode and capped off the first half just two minutes later with a successful penalty-kick from forward Kevin Diaz in the 30th minute.

“When you’re up 3-0 at the half, you set the tone for the game,” Artiaga said. “We got our key players involved in the attack and did everything we were supposed to do.”

Cerritos began the second half right where they left off with Ortega finishing a cross into the back of the net in the 52nd minute to give him the hat trick and extend the Falcons lead. to four.

ECC set the tone in the second half, putting up 10 shots against Cerritos goalkeeper Luis Enciso, while the Falcons only took two shots.

However, the Warriors were only able to capitalize on one opportunity forward Larry Lopez scored the lone goal of the game for ECC with a rebound off of Enciso in the 56th minute.

After the loss to Cerritos, the Warriors will look to bounce back in their next conference match at Long Beach City College (3-7-3) on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

“The scoreline is not indicative of how we played, we played well we just had a really slow start,” Warriors coach Mike Jacobson said. “I think we’ll bounce back. It’s just one loss and hopefully the guys can turn the page and use it as real motivation for the rest of the year.”