Aztec’s fall out of the top five

By KYLE McDANIEL

 

So far this season, Pima Community College has won 85 percent of its games for a record of 11-2, which currently has the team ranked No. 6 in the nation.

 

When you average 3 goals a game and you concede under 1 goal a game, that’s a recipe for success.

 

Oct. 2 vs. Glendale CC “Canceled”

 

Sept. 29 at Paradise Valley CC 3, PCC 5

 

It took the Paradise Valley Pumas a mere 7 minutes to score on the Aztecs, but Pima wasn’t going to roll over that easy. The team put three goals past Paradise before the half.

 

Then the Pumas made it interesting in the 68th minute by netting a second goal, but the Aztecs scored two more times in the 70th minute to put the game out of reach.

 

Pima had four different scorers on the day, which helped the team get its 11th victory of the season.

 

Sept. 25 at Chandler-Gilbert CC 0, PCC 1, 2OT

 

Pima earned the season sweep over the Coyotes for the fourth straight season, when Freshman Ricky Gordillo assisted Sophomore Hugo Kametani for the golden goal winner in the 103rd minute.

 

Freshman Nils Roth kept Pima in the game with 6 saves.

 

Sept. 22 vs. Arizona Western 1, PCC 2

 

The Aztecs were seeking to vindicate their opening game loss to the Matadors, who beat Pima in overtime.

 

Kametani put the Aztecs ahead early in the first half, but Pima was bogged down early in the second half when Arizona Western tied the match.

 

It looked like the game was again heading for overtime when in the 86th minute, Gordillo stepped up and buried the match winner for the Aztecs.

 

Roth continues to get the nod in goal from the start, helping Pima get its ninth victory of the season.  

 

Sept. 20 at Yavapai College 3, PCC 1

 

PCC was looking to keep its eight-game winning streak going as the team took on an unranked Yavapai team. A defense that had been so stout over the win streak let in their highest total of the season against the Roughriders.

 

At the other end of the field, an offense that couldn’t stop scoring only managed 3 shots and scored one time. That goal came via Freshman Alec Nguyen in the 28th minute.

 

With the win, Yavapai jumped into the national rankings at No. 2, and Pima dropped to No. 6. If Yavapai keeps winning, this could be a good loss by the end of the season.