by Dennis McCall
Taft Midway Driller
SANTA BARBARA – Santa Barbara College proved to be a very stingy host when both Taft College soccer teams left the heat of the San Joaquin Valley Tuesday for the refreshing coolness of the Central Coast.
The Vaqueros completely stifled the Cougars, shutting out both teams.
The women played first and it wasn't pretty: SBCC 6, Taft 0.Chloe Montano and Josefine Van Der Burg combined for four second half goals to make the match a runaway after the Vaqueros scored two goals in the first half.
The Vaqueros (2-1) out-shot the Cougars 16-0 in the first half and 25-3 overall with 15 shots on goal. Cougar goalkeeper was busy in the net, managing nine saves.
TC (0-2-1) will look for its first win today with a trip to Palm Desert where they will take on College of the Desert.
Men lose 1-0
The Cougar men, who went into the week ranked No. 10 in the nation, lost their first match of the season on a penalty kick by freshman Kevin Kwizera, who was knocked down in the box at the 29:38 mark and drilled a left-footed PK into the upper left for his second game-winning goal of the season.
The Vaqueros out-shot the Cougars 9-5 in the first half then played solid defense in the second half, holding TC to four shots while taking only two.
The men's team also is on the road today, playing Los Angeles Mission in Sylmar.
On Tuesday they will host Long Beach City College at 4 p.m. on the Taft High field at Tenth and San Emidio. The Cougars have developed a rivalry with the Vikings, who are one of the powerhouses in Southern California.