The El Camino College women’s soccer team outshot and outscored the East Los Angeles Huskies, closing with a 6–0 win in the team’s final South Coast Conference division match at home on Tuesday.
The Warriors (8–6–4) took control three minutes into the first half, with Warriors forward Julia Camacho recording her sixth assist and forward Catherine Curwood-Wagner scoring her team-leading seventh goal of the season.
While the Huskies (1–13–3) struggled to leave their own side of the field, the Warriors attempted 20 shots to goal. By the end of the first half, Huskies goalkeeper Karen Chen Zhao made eight saves, while Warriors goalkeeper Jordan Stemberga had one shot on goal to defend, recording her 64th save of the season.
“I had to be there for my team. No matter what the score is, I couldn’t give up,” Chen Zhao said.
The first half ended with the Warriors leading 1–0.
In the second half, the Warriors’ attack continued.
At eight minutes in, Warriors forward Sarahi Sanchez recorded her second assist and Camacho her fifth goal of the season.
Sanchez scored her seventh—and unassisted goal of the season, tying for the top spot with Curwood-Wagner.
Ten minutes later, Sanchez added her third assist, while Warriors 2023 All-SCC South First Team midfielder/defender Ruby Colcol scored a header—her fifth goal of the season.
“[In the] second half, we did way better than the first half – we weren’t really nervous and we played the ball more,” Sanchez said. “We got a good finish.”
Changing strategy, the Huskies substituted goalkeeper Joceline Castañeda-Tapia for Chen Zhao. Warriors defender Eileen Joiner attempted a header, but was blocked by Castañeda-Tapia.
Joiner regained control of the ball and recorded her first assist and Warriors defender Sophia Hudson her fourth goal of the season.
“[In the] second half, we realized how much potential we have as a team together,” Joiner said. “We just worked together to the best of our abilities.”
With 15 minutes left in the period, Warriors defender Ashley Perez recorded her first assist and Warriors midfielder Bella Licata her first goal of the season, marking the Warriors’ sixth and final goal of conference play.
The Huskies were unable to get on the scoreboard.
“I think in general our program [has] been a work in progress,” Huskies coach Jessica Correll, who is in her fourth season leading the Huskies, said. “I think my girls worked hard, pushed through to the end and kept fighting.”
Warriors coach Anton Arrache, who is in his second season leading the Warriors, gave credit to the team on the strong ending for the final conference match of the season.
“[We] created a lot of goal-scoring opportunities, but I think [in] the second half, we redefined our focus,” Arrache said. “They executed in the second half and we found a goal-scoring barrage to up that total and feel good heading into the conference playoffs.”
The Warriors will face the Cerritos College Falcons at Falcon Field in the first round of the South Coast Conference Tournament on Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.
