Bobcats capture OEC title

The Saddleback women's soccer team captured its second Orange Empire Conference title in the past three years with a 3-0 win against Irvine Valley College on Tuesday in Irvine.  The Bobcats are still undefeated with one game remaining in the regular season.

Saddleback also captured the South Orange County Cup on Tuesday, which is a friendly series between the two inter-district schools in soccer.  The cup is awarded to the school that wins the season series, with both the women's and men's scores being counted.  Saddleback went 2-1-1 against IVC this season, winning both women's games while the men went 0-1-1. 

Saddleback received two more goals from Chloe Green on Tuesday in improving to 18-0-1 overall and 12-0-1 in Orange Empire Conference play.  Green opened the scoring in the 15^th minute on a free kick.  The Bobcats took a 2-0 lead in the 34^th minute when McKenna Pua took a pass from Christina Santoyo and beat the Irvine Valley keeper.  Green then netted her second of the game in the 62^nd minute off a pass from Santoyo.  It was Green's state-leading 33^rd goal of the year. 

Saddleback ran its unbeaten string to 26 games with the win on Tuesday.  The Bobcats have now gone over a year since losing, with the last loss coming on November 4 of 2022. 

Saddleback also recorded its 15^th shutout of the season, which was a program-record sixth straight shutout.  The Bobcats have now gone 605 minutes without surrendering a goal. 

Saddleback closes out the regular season with a home game against Santiago Canyon College on Thursday.  The Bobcats and Hawks are scheduled to start at 3:00 PM inside the stadium.