By John M. Sherrard
(Walnut, CA) With a second half four-goal blitz, the No. 2 Seed Mt. SAC Men's Soccer Team went on to a 5-0 win over No. 15 Seed Citrus College in the first round of the CCCAA Southern California Regional playoffs Saturday afternoon Nov. 18.
With the win, the Mounties advance to the So Cal Regional second round November 21st at Mt. SAC against No. 7 Irvine Valley (12-5-4) for a 5 p.m. game.
In that five-goal outburst was forward Sam Ponting scoring a hat trick for the Mounties. His three-goal day brought his season total to 12 to tie him with Jose Santoyo, who also scored in the game.
Ponting, on an assist from forward Marty Raygoza, scored the only goal of the first half in the 15th minute.
The second-half four-goal outburst began in the first minute (46th) on an unassisted goal by Raygoza for the 2-0 lead.
Just four minutes later Ponting, on an assist from forward Michael Gonzalez, scored the second of his three goals (50th) to extend the Mounties lead to 3-0.
Mt. SAC (17-4-2), ranked eighth nationally by the United Soccer Coaches Junior College (DIII) poll, took a 4-0 lead in the 67th minute on Ponting's second goal of the game, assisted by Raygoza.
The fifth and final goal came in the 80th minute by Gonzalez on an assist from Andre Gamboa.
Goalie Edwyn Gutierrez (6 saves) notched his 10th solo shutout of the season.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.