COD Women's Soccer playoff dreams continue with win over Raiders, 3-1

COD (17-2-3) won their first playoff game in program history, receiving a pair of goals from Ximena Perez-Anguiano and a goal from Angelica Leal to push past the #17 seeded Moorpark Raiders (12-8), 3-1.

This is the first time in program history that Desert and Moorpark have played against one another.

Freshman goal keeper Ana Rojas (Indio Shadow Hills) made her 16th start of the season, making 7 saves on 8 shots. Sophomore midfielder Ximena Perez-Anguiano (Indio Shadow Hills) got the Roadrunners on the scoreboard first in the 26th minute on a ricochet off of the Moorpark keeper to give Desert a 1-0 advantage. The Raiders would equalize in the 41st minute and both teams would go into the break tied at 1-1. In the 50th minute, the Roadrunners would regain the lead on a pass from sophomore forward Amerie Felix (Thermal Desert Mirage) to sophomore midfielder Angelica Leal (Thermal Coachella Valley) to give Desert a 2-1 lead. In the 78th minute, Perez-Anguiano converted a penalty kick, giving Desert a 3-1 lead.

The next match-up for the #16 Roadrunners will be on Saturday, November 23 at 1:30p as they travel to the #1 seeded Cypress Chargers (17-1-3; 11-1-2) for the 3C2A SoCal Regional Playoffs Regional Quarterfinals. The Roadrunners played against Cypress for the first time in program history in 2021 and hold an 0-2 overall record against the Chargers. Desert has an 0-1 record against the Chargers in Cypress. The last time these two teams faced one another in Cypress was September 7, 2021, where the Roadrunners fell, 6-2.

The winner of Saturday's second-round contest will advance to the Regional Semifinals on Tuesday (Nov. 26), traveling to either Santa Monica to face the #9 seeded Santa Monica Corsairs or to Chula Vista to face the #8 seeded Southwestern Apaches. The SoCal Regional Championship will take place on Saturday, November 30. Four wins are needed to advance to the CCCAA Soccer State Championship on Dec. 6 & Dec. 8 at American River College in Northeast Sacramento.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Dale Beck Photography.