COD Women’s Soccer knocks off the Mustangs, 1–0

COD (7-5-4; 4-1-2) battled through 60 scoreless minutes before finally breaking through, securing a crucial victory to stay firmly in the Playoff hunt with a 1–0 win over the feisty Norco Mustangs (1-13-3; 1-7-1).

The Roadrunners entered the match holding an 8-3-3 all-time record against Norco, including a strong 4-0-2 mark at home, and looked determined to add another tally in the win column. Under unusually warm late-October conditions, both sides traded chances in the opening 45 minutes, but neither could find the finishing touch, sending the match into halftime locked at 0–0.

That persistence finally paid off in the 63rd minute. Freshman defender Lauren Cornwell (Palm Desert H.S.) drove forward and poked a perfect ball to the right side of the Norco keeper, where freshman midfielder Savannah Rivera (Thermal / Coachella Valley H.S.) buried her third goal of the season to give COD the lead.

From there, the Roadrunners' back line took center stage. Behind a composed performance from freshman goalkeeper Alejandra Carrillo (La Quinta H.S.), COD closed the door to secure the program's eighth clean sheet of the year, and Carrillo's first at the collegiate level.

The win sets up a massive conference showdown later this week: a Halloween rematch against the Mt. San Jacinto Eagles of Menifee at Hovley Soccer Park, as both teams currently sit in a three-way tie for second place in the IEAC standings.

Kickoff is set for Friday, October 31 at 4 PM, don't miss the spooky stakes!

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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 Darbie Catalfamo Photography.