Pirates open playoffs on Saturday at Ventura

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College women's soccer team will travel to Ventura College on Saturday night for a 7 p.m. Pirates vs. Pirates showdown in the opening round of the Southern California Regional playoffs.

Orange Coast (12-4-4) earned a No. 11 seed after a runner-up finish in the Orange Empire Conference. Ventura (14-4-2), which finished second by one point to L.A. Pierce in the Western State Conference's North Division, is the No. 6 seed in this year's regional.

Ventura had won five straight and was unbeaten in eight straight (7-0-1) before falling to San Bernardino Valley, 5-1, in a nonconference matchup to end the season.

The host Pirates are led by the 1-2 offensive punch of A.J. Tewes (six goals, three assists) and Abigail Littleton (five goals, three assists). Ventura has been without the services of standout forward Macey Herrera, who scored nine goals over VC's first nine matches, but has not played since due to a season-ending knee injury.

In goal, sophomore Nailee Powell has been solid for the "other" Pirates. She's played every minute of every contest and has posted a 1.70 goals-against-average with six shutouts.

OCC is riding a six-match unbeaten streak and is 7-1-1 over its last nine matches.

Much like Ventura, OCC is also short one goal-scorer as sophomore Kamille Cawley recovers from a leg injury. She led Coast with 10 goals and was second on the team with 26 points.

In her absence, other Pirate players have stepped up, including Shelle Zito and Danielle Dapello. Zito has scored three goals and picked up a pair of assists over the past five contests, with both of those assists coming on goals by Dapello. Both scorers enter Saturday's matchup with seven goals.

OCC's offense has been worked around freshman Karly Freeman, who has six goals and a conference-best 14 assists. Her 14 helpers are 10th-best among all scorers in the state.

Defensively, the Pirates have been strong. Led by the all-around play of sophomore Anmarie Moreno, OCC has allowed multiple goals in just four matches this year and three goals total over its last six matches.

Goalkeeper Emily Harrier has been the biggest benefactor of Coast's stingy play, earning nine shutouts with a 0.82 goals-against average.