Nipomo soccer advances in CIF behind Ozzimo's hat-trick

Posted: Feb 12, 2013 9:03 PM by Andrew Masuda
Updated: Feb 12, 2013 10:43 PM

Hat trick from Ozzimo helps Nipomo soccer advance in CIF

Cristina Ozzimo delivered a hat-trick in the second half to lead the Nipomo High girls soccer team to a 4-2 win over visiting La Canada on Tuesday in a CIF Division 5 wildcard match.

The Titans improved to 12-9-2 overall and advanced into Thursday's first round, where they will face 17-4-4 and Desert Valley League champion La Quinta.

The Titans led 1-0 at the half thanks to a goal in the middle of the first half by Kaitlyne Fernandez that came off a free kick.

Ozzimo, a senior, scored her first goal of the match in the 49th minute of the match, when she fired a rocket over the La Canada goalie. The goal was assisted by Denise Belmontes. La Canada scored about ten minutes later to cut the deficit to 2-1. That's when Briana Ayala sent a ball up ahead to Ozzimo, who sent a low rocket that skipped by the diving goalie and into the back of the net to give Nipomo a 3-1 advantage in the 69th minute. The senior completed the hat-trick and clinched the win off a cross inside the box from Fernandez.

"It was all a team effort, it wasn't me. We all played together and came together and we've worked hard all season. And now it's finally showing up and we've just proved how hard we've worked," said Ozzimo, who praised her teammates for setting up her scoring chances.

Ozzimo's second hat-trick of the season brought her season total to 30 goals.

Last year, Nipomo won its wild card match only to lose in the first round.

The Lompoc girls lost 1-0 at San Jacinto on Tuesday. Patricia Rocha scored the lone goal in the first half to end the Braves' season with a 6-10-1 record.

Nipomo and six other local girls soccer teams play first round games on Thursday.

Division 3
St. Joseph (14-9-2) @ Arcadia (12-7-2)
Cypress (15-8-1) @ Righetti (12-5-1), 5 pm
San Luis Obispo (14-10-1) @ Crescenta Valley (14-2-2), 3 pm
Burbank (13-8-1) @ Arroyo Grande (16-1-6), 3:30 pm
Division 5
Temescal Canyon (11-4-7) @ Santa Ynez (13-7-2)
Nipomo (12-9-2) @ La Quinta (17-4-4)
Patriot (10-11-3) @ Cabrillo (12-7-4), 3 pm