As the year 2016 winds to an end in the next few weeks, we look back on 2016’s Pasadena City College Greatest Games of the Year. 1. MEN’S SOCCER: November 22, The 7th-seed Lancers make an improbable rally from 3-1 down to beat No. 2 seed Golden West, 4-3, in the quarterifinals of the SoCal […]
As the year 2016 winds to an end in the next few weeks, we look back on 2016’s Pasadena City College Greatest Games of the Year.
1. MEN’S SOCCER: November 22, The 7th-seed Lancers make an improbable rally from 3-1 down to beat No. 2 seed Golden West, 4-3, in the quarterifinals of the SoCal Regional Playoffs. In the 89th minute, Manuel Chavez drove home a free kick to tie it. With just seconds left in stoppage time and the game seemingly headed to overtime, Alexander Hernandez launched a long ball from beyond midfield and Sarmeen Ibrahim played hero as he made a header with his back to the Rustlers’ net to knock in the shocking game-winning goal.
2. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: February 27, In the SoCal Regional quarterfinals, point guard Judith Espinoza tied a school record for most points in a playoff game with 35 as the No. 14 seed Lancers upset No. 3 Ventura, 72-65. PCC trailed by nine late in the second quarter and rallied with a 10-0 run to take a 33-32 halftime lead. It was until Esponiza drained her sixth 3-pointer with 2:19 left that PCC took the lead for good as Lancers coach Joe Peron kept his hex over Ventura coaching legend Ned Mircetic with the Lancers holding a 10-2 record against the Pirates in games going back to the 1990s between the two state-champion coaches.
3. BADMINTON: May 14, It was the CCCAA State Individual Singles Final between Lancer Rebecca Tzou and Irvine Valley’s Cora Tanuwidjaja. Tzou used strategy in ulimately rallying to win the state title, 18-21, 21-10, 21-15. She trailed, 11-8, at the break in the final set, and was behind as late as 14-12. At that point, Tzou took over the match with a 9-1 rally that clinched the victory. Tzou used aggressive smashes and her fitness in cutting off drop shots by the elder Lasers opponent to capture the championship medal in front of a home crowd at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.
4. BASEBALL: April 29, In the team’s home finale at Brookside Park’s Jackie Robinson Memorial Field, the Lancers won a classic contest over East Los Angeles, 5-4, in 11 innings. PCC took a 2-0 lead on a home run by Jeremy Conant in the first inning. The Huskies rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to tie take a 4-3 lead, but in the bottom of the inning, PCC catcher Justin Cage roped a double to deep center that tied it at 4-4. With one out and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, ELAC hit a fly ball to medium left that was caught by LF Brandon Benson and the sophomore then gunned a perfect one-hop throw to Cage at the plate for an inning-ending, double play. Finally in the 11th, Paul Christian hit a triple and Benson followed with a sacrifice fly to RF that scored a sliding Christian for a walk-off, game-winning at bat.
5. WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: August 27, Mike Terrill’s first victory as Pasadena City College head coach was a memorable affair as PCC outhit Chaffey in five long sets, 26-24, 19-25, 25-21, 30-32, 15-9, at the Pierce Kickoff Classic Tournament. Lancer Rayleen Rivera set a school record for most kills in a match with 30. In the deciding fifth set, Rivera hammered her 30th kill to give PCC a 9-7 lead. The Lancers went on a 5-0 run thanks to three service aces by Kelsey Sarreal. Danielle Castillo landed a kill for match point. Monica Hernandez made a team season-high 32 digs and setter Emily Leung passed out a team season-high 62 assists.
