Gauchos keep pace with win at GWC

The Saddleback women's soccer team picked up a big win on Monday with a 2-0 victory over Golden West College in Huntington Beach.  It was the ninth shutout of the season for the Gauchos.

Saddleback is trying to make a run at the playoffs and needed a win on Monday against a Golden West team that has just four wins on the season.  The Gauchos took care of business, improving to 8-4-5 overall and 5-4-4 in Orange Empire Conference play.  It's the first time Saddleback has been over .500 in OEC play all season and keeps them solidly in fifth place with three games remaining.

Saddleback scored the opening goal in the 21^st minute when Natally Gomez (pictured) took a pass from Marisa Covarrubias and slid it past the Golden West keeper.  For Gomez, it was her team-leading fifth goal of the season and gave the Gauchos a lot of life knowing they have one of the better defenses in the state.

In the 35^th minute Saddleback put the game away when Covarrubias beat the Rustler keeper off a pass from Collette Halloran for a 2-0 lead.  It was Covarrubias' fourth goal of the season.

Dz-Rae Jara played the entire 90 minutes in the net, making six saves for the game.  It was the ninth time this season the Gauchos have recorded a shutout.

Saddleback will play again on Tuesday when they host second place Fullerton College (10-3-3, 7-2-3) at the stadium.  Kickoff is set for 3:00 PM.