by Dennis McCall
Taft Midway Driller
SANTA ROSA â€" The Taft College women's soccer team has done it again.
Just like last year the Cougars pulled off a major upset in the first round of the northern California playoffs.
This time it was the No. 14 Cougars knocking off No. 3 Santa Rosa JC on the Bear Cats home field last Saturday afternoon.
Freshman midfielder Arielle Stoyanow got the only goal of the match midway through the first of two overtime periods â€" driving home a rebound shot when sophomore forward Cristina Salazar's shot hit the post and came off hard.
"Our girls always are ready for the playoffs," said coach Myisha Cutrona. "We just outplayed them. Even their athletic director said that."
The teams battled to a scoreless tie at the end of regulation play, and that sent them into two overtime periods.
"I thought we dominated possession but we just couldn't finish," she said. "We played very well. I thought our passing was superb."
Cutrona cited the work of co-captain Sierra Sagasta, a freshman defender from Bakersfield High.
"She really took charge," she said, also singling out the efforts of Alexia Gonzalez and Rebecca Vazquez.
What Cutrona like best was overall team chemistry.
"Everybody did their job," she said.
Cougar goalkeeper Hannah Tovar had six saves to preserve the shutout.
"It was nice to come away with a win against a top team like Santa Rosa," Cutrona said.
Last year the Cougars went into the playoffs seeded No. 10 and defeated No. 7 and then No. 2 before falling to No. 1 in the NorCal finals. A win there would have sent them into the state championships.
The win improved TC's record to 13-7-1. Santa Rosa finished the season 13-6-2.