Freeman's OT goal lifts Pirates past Ventura, 2-1

VENTURA -- The hard work paid off for the Orange Coast College women's soccer team as a late-overtime goal by Karly Freeman lifted the Pirates to a 2-1 win over Ventura College on Saturday in the Southern California Regional playoffs.

With the match tied a 1 with just three minutes left in the overtime session, a counterattack by the Pirates allowed Shelle Zito to send a long pass to Freeman, who fought off a defender and ripped a 20-yard shot into the lower-right corner of the goal, sending the visiting Pirates (13-3-4) into the second round, where they host L.A. Pierce on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the OCC Soccer Complex.

"I've never coached a team where for the entire 120 minutes of action, everyone went all out on every single play and to get that result, in the way that we did, it was truly awesome," OCC head coach Kevin Smith said. "We were all over the field, making big tackles and really going 100 miles per hour the entire match, which is what you have to do in the postseason."

After a scoreless first half, Coast grabbed the lead on Ventura (14-5-2) when a long throw-in by Anmarie Moreno was flicked off the head of Freeman right to teammate Devan Ellison, who beat the Ventura goalkeeper in the 57th minute.

However, Ventura answered right back in the 70th minute. A point-blank header was saved by OCC goalie Emily Harrier (five saves), but the loose ball was kicked into the back of the net, tying the match at 1.

From there, both teams went back and forth until Freeman's tally in the 117th minute broke the deadlock.

OCC, the No. 11 seed in the regional, get a surprise opportunity to host the second round, courtesy of L.A. Pierce's 2-1 upset win over No. 3 San Bernardino Valley.

The Brahmas (15-3-3) are led by the 1-2 punch up front of Michelle Somers (13 goals, seven assists) and Jackie Hilario (eight goals, eight assists), while in goal, netminder Jenna Koziol anchors a Pierce defense that has allowed just eight goals all season.