Monday, November 3, 2008

PCC Receives ELAC Tomorrow; and Movsisyan Is In Love With The Net

Jose Cortez and James Hernandez (#18) will try to shut out ELAC on Tuesday at PCC. (Photo Courtesy by Richard Quinton)

Both Pasadena City College men's and women's soccer teams will be hosting East Los Angeles College tomorrow.
The women's team will try to get another win to start rounding up the season at least with a .500 or above record. PCC will probably get the win, but to do so, they will need to have Brianna Carlos and Molly Pink anchoring the defense, have a Carolina Rangel, Sheima Berenji, and Alexa Weigand encendidas, and last but not least they will need to have Melissa Fudge ready to take advantage of any scoring chance.
The men's team will look for another win to prevail in the first spot in the South Coast Conference. The possible first eleven for tomorrow will be: Jorge Sainz; Bryant Castillo, Malcolm Linton, Albrik Tahmasia, Dante Bruno-Lopez; Jose Cortez, James Hernandez, Abbas Said, Ando Ghevadyan; Gabriel Chavarria and Gilbert Pogosyan.
ELAC won't be easy since they are physically fit to play in the tiny field that PCC has. Plus, ELAC comes pumped up from their previous game, as they gathered their first victory in the season against El Camino College.
We'll see what's gonna happen.
Meanwhile, it is more likely that PCC has already make the playoffs, but Rio Hondo College has been the first team in this season in qualifying to the playoffs as they already clinched the Foothill Conference title with two more games to play. Congrats to the Road Runners.
In another note, former PCC player, Yura Movsisyan, scored again to give Real Salt Lake the partial victory, 1-0, against Chivas USA. His goal came in the 90th minute (he scored in the previous game as well at the same time to give RSL the pass to the playoffs) with his back heel off a pass from Argentina playmaker Javier Morales.
Now, Movsisyan and RSL will play the second leg this upcoming Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

PCC Still in First, Mt. SAC Pulls a Win Out, and the League is more exciting than ever

PCC's defender Malcolm Linton gathered his 14 assists during the Lancers' 4-2 victory over Compton. Linton set a new school record on Friday. (Photo Courtesy by Richard Quinton)

PCC men's soccer team maintains the first spot in the South Coast Conference, after defeating Compton College, 4-2, Friday at home.
Once again, James Hernandez pulled his goleador costume out, and scored two goals against an inexperienced keeper who went into his goal to get the ball four times.
Albrik Tahmasian and Jose "Gatusso" Cortez scored the other two for the win.
PCC's head coach Cherif Zein played all the roster as the game was sentenced in the 65th minute when Cortez scored. Compton would cut the difference to two, but there was nothing else that could be done.
PCC dominated and, at times, the team played like a truly champ. PCC showed good soccer with good passes, possession and effectiveness.
Also, in another good note, Malcolm Linton gathered his 14 assists in the season, breaking the school record of 12, set in 2001.
Besides assisting his teammates with his long throw-ins and free-kicks, Linton has been a true leader in the team as he managed and anchored the defense pretty well. Linton demostrated that the captain band no le queda grande.
In other games, Mt. SAC pulled a valuable win against Long Beach CC, 3-2. The win allows the Mounties to keep on chasing the Lancers as they are two points behind them.
As of LBCC, the team has to start saying good bye to it's chances of winning the SCC since they are seven points behind.
And last but not least, Cerritos College lost to Harbor, 3-2, and now Cerritos is five points behind the Lancers.
Damn, this conference is going crazy.
Whenever you get a chance, go and watch it!

Friday, October 31, 2008

PCC men's soccer team vs. Compton today; Women's have a bye

Right defender Bryant Castillo will start in the PCC's first eleven after missing Tuesday's game due to a red card. PCC vs. Compton, today. (Photo Courtesy by Richard Quinton)

Pasadena City College men's soccer team will play against Compton College, a team that PCC has already beaten in the first round by 2-1. The game will start today 3 p.m. at PCC's Robinson Stadium.
PCC is coming pumped up from Tuesday's game, where they gathered a very valuable triumph from Long Beach as they defeated LBCC 1-0.
Defender Albrik Tahmasian was the author of the only goal of the game.
The win helped the Lancers to lift their power points as well as their ranking in the state standings. Now, the Lancers are No. 3 in the state and first in the South Coast Conference.
Counting today’s game, they are five games left in the season, and as the Lancers plan to clinch the conference, they only depend on themselves.
As of the women’s, they will have a bye since Compton College does not have a women’s soccer team.

More games in the SCC for today:

Long Beach CC @ Mt. SAC - Definitely an important game that whoever loses will start to say good bye to the first spot in the SCC

Cerritos @ Harbor – same as above.

El Camino @ East LA – Probably, the game with less importance in the conference.

Now the standings in the SCC are:
1-PCC 21pts.
2- Cerritos 19
3-Mt. SAC 19
4- LBCC 17
5-Harbor 11
6-Compton 10
7-ELAC 3
8- El Camino 2

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Boom! Maradona: Argentina's New Head Coach

Carlos Bilardo, left, will be helping Diego Armando Maradona, right, to manage the Argentinean National Soccer Team. (Photo Courtesy of Clarin.com)

Yes, it's official.
Diego Armando Maradona will be in charge of the Argentinean National Soccer team.
Boom!
Yeah, it might be a bomb since most people didn't expect it.
I was expecting it.
Argentina needed a change, needed someone who truly understands what it is to be in a World Cup and how to win it.
Maradona can give that.
However, Maradona will have to be working with his leadership. A leadership has to be organized, a quality that, for many, Maradona lost it due to his past health issues.

Yura Movsisyan Awaits For Chivas USA


As many of you guys know or maybe not, Yura Movsisyan (pictured in the right with the white jersey. photo courtesy by Richard Quinton) scored the tying goal against Colorado Rapids this past Sunday. His goal allowed Real Salt Lake to clinch the third spot in the MLS Western Standings.
As I talked to him in the phone, yesterday, he said: "I am happy for scoring the goal, but I am happier because we are in the playoffs."
Throughout the conversation he just seemed very calm and focus.
And, the latter one has been the reason why he is succeeding in the MLS, his focus on doing things right had led him to be the starting forward at RSL, after two irregular seasons at Kansas City Wizards.
We'll see how does he do against Chivas USA, I just wish him the best.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Tomorrow: PCC vs. Long Beach, Big Game

PCC will need to play with pure concentration as they face Long Beach tomorrow at la playa. (photo courtesy by Richard Quinton)

After losing last Friday against Mt. SAC, 3-2, at home, PCC is looking to keep its first spot as they face the Long Beach City College's Vikings in what might be one of the two most critical games (the other one is against Cerritos at their home) if the Lancers aspire to win the South Coast Conference.
After losing against LBCC in the first round, the Lancers already know what player they have to keep an eye on throughout the game.
His name, Manuel Batista. His jersey's number, 18.
The Lancers won't count with right defender Bryant Castillo for tomorrow's game since he has a game off due to a red card issued to him during the game against the Mounties. Castillo's spot will be replaced by Dario Orozco or Edward Orellana.
So, the probable roster (4-4-2) for tomorrow is: Jorge Sainz; Orozco or Orellana, Albrik Tahmasian, Malcolm Linton, Dante Bruno-Lopez; Jose Cortez, James Hernandez, Gilbert Pogosyan, Alan De Leon; Ando Ghevandyan and Ivan Nava.
As of the women's, the soccer team will face a mediocre Long Beach. Both teams are knocking on the door to make the playoffs, so this would be an important game to define both team's future.
All I have to say is Suerte, Buena Suerte.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

PCC Men's Soccer Stays Strong; Women's, Levantando La Cabeza


Top Picture, PCC's Alan De Leon, in burgundy, tries to cut in against two Harbor's defenders in PCC's 5-3 win. Bottom Picture, Alexa Weigand holds the ball during PCC's 5-0 triumph. (Photo Courtesy of PCC Courier staff Daniel Lottes)

Yes, they are hot.
They are on fire.
The PCC men's soccer team gathered their fifth consecutive victory after defeating El Camino College, 3-1, last Friday, and Los Angeles Harbor College, 5-3, Today.
Now, the men's soccer team is the leading team in the South Coast Conference after 7 games played. The Lancers have 18 points and Long Beach City College is behind them with 14 points. LBCC reached the second position after defeating Cerritos College, 1-0.
Against Harbor, Ando Ghevandyan scored the first goal with an exquisite definition after a pass from Alan De Leon in the eight minute. Yet, Harbor would come back to tie the game 1-1 and subsequentely, 2-2 in the first half.
However, in the second half, the Lancers came back to the game with the winning mentality as they scored three goals in 13 minutes. Jose Cortez (had two goals against ECC), Gilbert Pogosyan, and James Hernandez (he ended up with 2 goals in the game) each scored in the second period to lift the Lancers 5-2, and to clinch another victory.
Just for the stats, Harbor's Alex Chavez (had a hattrick) put a P.K. in the net in the 76th minute, just to cut the distance in the score box.
As of the women's soccer team, the Lancers defeated Harbor, 5-0, yesterday and tied ECC, 2-2, last Friday.
Yes, they are hot (yes, they are!).
They are on fire... only when Melissa Fudge and Alexa Weigand wake up.
With Fudge and Weigand active in the game, PCC women's soccer team is a whole another team.
It is a team that has the three G's (in Spanish)... it is a team that Gana, Gusta y Golea.
An example from what I just said can be best justified with Fudge's three goals in the game and her assist to teammate Weigand to give the Lancers the second victory of the conference season.
Now, the women's team is 7-5-1 overall, 2-3-1 in the SCC, and is trying to get into the playoffs' spots.