Men's soccer remains unbeaten

SANTA ANA, CA — The No. 16-Ranked (SoCal) East Los Angeles men’s soccer team, 3-0-2 overall, remains unbeaten in non-conference play with a 1-0 upset against No. 7 Santa Ana College yesterday.

Freshman forward Valentin Mercado (Animo Ralph Bunche Charter HS) scored a goal in the 9th minute (9:05) unassisted when the Santa Ana defense failed to clear the ball in the box.

ELAC outshot the Dons 18-5 with six shots on goal.

In the first half sophomore Albert Chamagua (Glendale HS) shot high at 12:27, Mercado shot wide at 23:04, freshman midfielder Javier Gutierrez (Montebello HS) shot high at 27:09, freshman forward Raul Zamorano (Huntington Park HS) shot wide at 33:39 and freshman forward Jovani Alvarez (Colorado Lakewood HS) attempted a shot in the 45th minute, which was saved by Santa Ana sophomore goalie Ismael Rivera (Instituto Tecnologico, Mexico).

ELAC had 12 second half shots. Freshman midfielder Hugo Flores (Animo Robinson HS) had a shot that was high (50:01), then a shot that hit crossbar (53:40). Midfielders freshman Martin Oregal (Schurr HS) and sophomore Alexis Cubias (Jefferson HS) both shot wide at 53:43 and 54:41, respectively.

Freshman Midfielder Jorge Chavez’s (Cathedral HS) shot at 60:28 was saved by Rivera while Alvarez worked in three second half shots, all wide, at 61:46, 63:27, and in the 90th minute.

Gutierrez wide was with a shot at 72:54 followed by two Zamorano shots (76:28 and 78:32), which were both were saved by Santa Ana freshman goalie Cyrus Mohseni (Los Alamitos HS). Mercado added an amazing header in the 84th minute, which was also saved by Mohseni.

Each team had three corner kicks. ELAC freshman goalkeeper Brian Paredes (Cathedral HS) had four saves.

The Huskies rallied to a 1-1 draw against No. 11 San Bernardino Valley College (1-2-1) on Sept. 8 at Weingart Stadium. San Bernardino scored first in minute 76. ELAC answered with a Gutierrez goal in 78th minute assisted by Zamorano.

ELAC defeated Mira Costa College in Oceanside, 2-0, on Sept. 15.

ELAC travels to Orange Coast College Tuesday Sept. 22 for a 7 p.m. contest. The Huskies next home game is Friday Sept. 25 beginning at 6 p.m. against No. 3 Santiago College (1-1).

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia