In a foul-heavy game of kicking and tripping penalties, the El Camino’s women’s soccer team ended No. 4-ranked Long Beach City College Vikings’ six-game winning streak with a 1–1 tie.
Entering the Oct. 18 contest, the Vikings won their last three conference matches against Cerritos, Rio Hondo, East Los Angeles and the last three non-conference matches with San Bernardino Valley, Desert and Norco.
Warriors forward Claire Mahon made a split-second pass to Warriors forward Catherine Curwood-Wagner, which led to Mahon’s first assist and Curwood-Wagner’s team-leading sixth goal of the season.
Mahon, who was named to the 2023 All-South Coast Conference South Second Team, explained how timing and changing her strategy paid off.
“There [was] a crowd of people and the only way to get it through was just to chip it over and honestly, that was just luck that Cat [Curwood-Wagner] was there,” Mahon said. “I was going to run onto it and then she was in a better position, so I just yelled at her ‘run through it,’ and she did.”
Offensively, the Vikings were first to score, with an unassisted goal by forward Lorena Moreno in the first 30 minutes of the match.
In the first half, the Vikings made several wide shots, including three by the Warriors, saved by Vikings goalkeeper Jackie Garibay, keeping the Warriors scoreless at halftime.
The Vikings revamped the offense, while Warriors goalkeeper Jordan Stemberga recorded eight saves.
A yellow card was drawn on Warriors forward Ashley Ruiz, then on Vikings defender and midfielder Leila Rodriguez in the first 30 minutes of the second half.
Moreno acknowledged going into the match her team would put up a challenge.
“We knew ElCo was going to be some tough competition, so we tried to come out as strong as we could,” Moreno said.
Vikings coach Tino Nuñez, who is in his first season coaching at LBCC, credited the team’s effort.
“The group was coming in with a lot of confidence and throughout the game, we showed great moments, and [it’s] just unfortunate not to get the second goal,” Nuñez said.
Curwood-Wagner, who recorded 10 starts, three goals and two assists in 20 games last season, explained how scoring the goal was a reminder on perseverance.
“It was just kind of the heat of the moment – we were down from the beginning of the half, so getting that goal was really important for us and it showed that we could fight till the end,” Curwood-Wagner said.
The Warriors faced the Pasadena City College Lancers at home on Tuesday, Oct. 22, ending with a loss 3–0, while the Vikings bounced back on Oct. 22 in a one-sided 9-0 contest against LA Harbor.
The Mounties of Mt. San Antonio College will visit the Warriors in a South Coast Conference contest on the ECC Soccer Field on Friday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 p.m.
