The Soccer Playoff Preview: Regional Round #1

For just the second time in progam history, the Citrus College Women's Soccer Program will be participating in the CCCAA Playoffs. The Owls, the #12 seed in the South, will be headed down to San Diego to take on SoCal #5 San Diego Miramar College. The match is set for a 2:00 PM start.

About The Match-Up
Saturday's contest between Citrus College and San Diego Miramar College will be the first ever meeting between the two schools. Miramar has only been in competition since the 2007 season, but has been to the post-season five years running.

About the Jets
San Diego Miramar College heads into the post-season after yet another impressive regular season. The Jets went 14-2-3 overall and 6-1-1 in Pacific Coast North Division play, claiming the conference title. Miramar was pegged as the #5 seed in Southern California, their second straight year earning that seed. Last year, the Jets advanced all the way to the Regional Finals (3rd Round) where they fell to Santiago Canyon College 2-3.

Miramar boasts an explosive offense scoring 76 goals on the year, the 8th best mark in the entire CCCAA. The Jets are led by a pair of sophomore's in Ninfa Ramirez and Paulina Salazar. Ramirez could push for State Player of the Year honors after finishing 4th in the CCCAA in total points with 67 (23 goals, 21 assists), while Salazar wasn't far behind with 52 (23 goals, 6 assists) total points on the year. In goal, sophomore Stephanie Carlson has played the most minutes, recording 48 saves and a 0.64 goals against average.

Last Time Out
The Owls head into their second consecutive post-season winners of four of their last five contests. The only setback in that stretch was a 3-1 loss at SoCal #3 College of the Canyons. In this current stretch, the Owls have oustcored their opponents 19-3. Citrus had four shutouts in that stretch, with their only goals surrendered coming in that loss to the Cougars.

Owls in the Post-Season
This is Citrus College's second straight trip to the post-season, and just their second overall. Last year's trip to the Southern California playoffs was the first in program history. Citrus' first trip last year was short, as they fell to then #5 Ventura College at Ventura in the first round 3-1.

Owls Against the Pacific Coast Conference
While Citrus College has no history against San Diego Miramar College, it has played a number of games against the Jets' conference mates in the Pacific Coast Conference. The Owls have played five total contests over the last eight years against teams that were in the PCC at the time of playing. If you add Mt. San Jacinto College, who joined the PCC this season, that number goes to nine contests. In that stretch Citrus is 3-1-1 against teams that were then in the PCC, and 6-2-1 against teams currently in the PCC. The Owls did play a pair of teams from the PCC this season, tying Mira Costa College 2-2 in their first game of the year, and falling at San Diego Mesa College in San Diego 1-0, in their second week of competition. Miramar was 0-1-2 against those teams this year, tying Mesa and losing a game and tying a game with Mira Costa.

How to Follow
There are a number of ways to follow Saturday afternoon's contest at San Diego Miramar College. The first would be to attend the contest at Miramar. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for students, faculty, staff, senior citizens over 60, and children less than 12. Attendees are asked to park in Lot 1 (Miramar College Campus Map) or in the East side lot of HourGlass Field nearest the Ned Baumer Aquatics Center. In addition, there are no bleacher's available for fans, so it is requested that you bring your own chairs.
 
The other way would be to follow @ccfightingowls on Twitter, where we will be posting live updates throughout the match.