JUCO Soccer: Salt Lake sweeps Region 18 soccer championships
JUCO Soccer: Salt Lake sweeps Region 18 soccer championships
The Bruins' men's soccer team topped US Eastern 3-1 to move within one win of its fourth-straight NJCAA national tournament appearance Saturday afternoon.
TAYLORSVILLE — No. 2 Salt Lake Community College is one win away from advancing to the NJCAA national tournament for the fourth-straight year.
Sawyer Heaton, Larry Noel and Francisco Tita all scored in the second half as the Bruins downed USU Eastern 3-1 to claim the Region 18 championship Saturday afternoon on the school’s Taylorsville campus.
“I’m beyond grateful for all the amazing support,” SLCC coach Mark Davis said. “We’re buzzing for the program and the boys and the alumni. The job is far from done, but 16-0-2 on the year is solid. I think our best play is still in front of us.”
After a scoreless first half, St. George native Heaton opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, finishing off a ball from Carles Zameno.
Noel added a goal in the 53rd minute, and Tita stretched the lead to 3-0 just three minutes later.
Casey Stracher pulled one back for the Eagles via penalty kick in the 87th minute.
SLCC goalkeeper Ben Williams, the 6-foot-3 keeper from Lehi, made four saves for the Bruins, who improved to 16-0-2 on the season, including a perfect 12-0 mark at home.
Salt Lake will host Arizona Western next Saturday in the NJCAA West District championship match. The winner of the match, which will kick off at 1 p.m., will earn an automatic berth in the national tournament.
No. 4 SLCC women successful defend Region 18 title
Lexi Vernsey and Carly Brimhall each scored in the first half as No. 4 Salt Lake women’s soccer defending its Region 18 title with a 2-0 win over in-state rival Snow College in Saturday’s championship match.
Vernsey opened the scoring just 10 minutes in to set the pace,before Brimhall finished off a pass from Braelyn Baclayson at the half-hour mark to send Salt lake to next week’s NJCAA West District title match in Taylorsville.
Essence Burrus made five saves to earn the 12th shutout of the season for Salt Lake (15-1).