COD Women’s Soccer knocks out the Knights, 5-0

COD (4-7-1; 3-4) rolled into halftime tied at 0-0 and then the second half started as the home side unleashed their offense crushing the San Diego City Knights (1-11; 1-5), 5-0.

The first half saw the COD offense send out a relentless offensive barrage, burying the Knights keeper as the home side kept the ball deep in the San Diego City end most of the game. Unfortunately, no matter how many shots were taken in the first half, none would sneak past the Knights keeper.
 
COD freshman midfielder Vanessa Caudillo (Indio Shadow Hills) led the team with seven total shots, five of which were on goal and almost at point blank range. Sophomore goal keeper Britney Vargas (La Quinta H.S.) produced her third clean sheet of the season, having a slow day in net as she faced only two shots and both of those were well outside of range. That slaw day was thanks to a stifling Roadrunners defense which just stopped anything the Knights tossed their way. 

Both teams would go into the break tied at 0-0. That would all change very quickly, as sophomore forward Madison Decker (San Bernardino Aquinas) pounded a shot home in front of the net, three minutes into the second half, on an assist by freshman midfielder Valarie Reyes (Thermal Coachella Valley), giving the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead.

In the 63rd minute, freshman midfielder Melita Pena (La Quinta H.S.), who had been pestering the keeper all afternoon, finally poked a goal past the Knights keeper, taking a pass from Reyes and rifling the shot into the lower right corner to give COD a 2-0 lead.

Sophomore midfielder Sydney Hannibal (La Quinta H.S.), just named to the CCCAA Academic All-State team, would get in on the action, as she collected a pass from Decker about 40 yards out and punched a rocket straight into the upper left hand side of the net. Hannibal was probably just as surprised as anyone else that swung into the net from that distance and at the 70 minute mark, gave COD a commanding 3-0 lead.

Moments later, in the 72nd minute, sophomore defender Cynthia Hernandez (Cathedral City H.S.) took a corner from Decker, passed it off to sophomore midfielder Alejandra Castaneda (Indio Shadow Hills) who crushed a shot passed the Knights keeper on the wide side, giving COD a real reason to celebrate and a 4-0 lead.

Not to be outdone by Hannibal, almost in the same exact spot, Castaneda took about a 40 yard shot at the San Diego City net and it also poked in, as the home bench exploded in cheers, on an assist from sophomore defender Alexis Wright (Palm Desert H.S.). 

Photo by Brian Sylva (COD SID)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information