SMC Soccer Rebounds With Shutout Win:

Santa Monica College (5-7-4) took to the soccer field against Los Angeles Valley (3-12-1) on Friday afternoon as though they wanted the game to end almost as soon as it started. After all, it was the team’s third match in four days.

Thankfully, the Lady Corsairs had just enough energy to shutout the Lady Monarchs, 4-0, at Corsairs Field.

The win gave the Lady Corsairs an even split this week: one win against Valley, one draw at Bakersfield, and one loss at Taft.

SMC head coach Aaron Benditson said this past week was tough for his team and that the Lady Corsairs were “drained.”

“Emotionally, physically, they are very tired. A credit to them, today, they put together a performance. But the wear and tear (from the road game at Taft College one day earlier) really wore on us,” he went on to say. “We were a little lethargic in the first half.”

In that first half, SMC did have enough energy to find the back of the net when freshman forward Meg Pierce bent a shot past Valley’s sophomore goalkeeper Myra Garcia in the tenth minute.

Taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, the Lady Corsairs seemed refreshed upon returning to the field for the final 45 minutes.

Sophomore midfielder Sarah Barrington made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute, while Pierce pegged her second score in the 62nd minute to give the Lady Corsairs a three-goal lead.

SMC would round out the scoring in the 90th minute, when freshman midfielder Desire Kober knocked in a point blank score after Valley’s Garcia blocked a shot by team captain Olivia Patterson on a free kick attempt.

With four games remaining in the regular season, head coach Aaron Benditson said the playoffs have already started for SMC, as every match is a “must win.”

“We’re in the home stretch now, with four games left. In league and in playoffs, we’re outside looking in. We have opportunities with both … but we’re going to have to be perfect from here on out,” Benditson said. “As far as I am concerned, our playoffs have started now.”