The 2021 Taft College men's soccer season came to an end with the Cougars' 2-1 loss in overtime at De Anza College in their Round 2 Northern California Regional Playoffs game in Cupertino on Wednesday.
No. 4-seeded De Anza took a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute, scoring on a corner kick that would send the Lions into halftime with the lead.
The De Anza defense stifled the No. 12 Cougars' offense in the second half, turning away numerous scoring chances. But Taft finally broke through, getting the equalizer in the 85th minute to send the game into overtime.
After an additional 30 minutes of scoreless soccer, De Anza put in the game-winner in the second minute of added time during the second OT period.
Taft closed out the season with an 11-5-7 overall record under head coach Angelo Cutrona. The Cougars finished fifth in the Central Valley Conference with a 3-4-3 mark and made their return to the postseason after a one-year absence.