The Rio Hondo College Men's Soccer team has been named the No. 5 seed for the 2016 Southern California Regional Playoffs and will host the No. 12 Los Angeles Mission College Eagles in an opening-round game on Saturday (Nov. 19) at 4 p.m.
The Rio Hondo College Soccer Complex will host a playoff doubleheader as the No. 4-seeded women's soccer team will take on No. 13 Cypress College at 7 p.m. Tickets to the CCCAA postseason event are $12 for general admission and $8 for staff, students, and children.
The Roadrunners, ranked 11th in final regular season CCCAA Men's Soccer Coaches State Poll, enter the postseason with a 9-4-8 overall record. Rio Hondo finished third in the South Coast Conference North Division with a 2-2-4 mark. The Roadrunners are making their fifth postseason appearance since 2010.
LA Mission wrapped up the regular season with an 8-9-4 overall record and tied for second place in the Western State Conference North Division at 5-4-1.
In an early-season matchup on Aug. 30, LA Mission rolled to a 4-0 non-conference victory at home over the Roadrunners. But that setback provided a spark for Rio Hondo as the Roadrunners went unbeaten in 16 of its next 17 games.
The two squads will meet in the playoffs for the second straight year. The Roadrunners will look for some revenge after being upset by the Eagles in the second round of the 2015 regionals. No. 2 Rio Hondo and No. 10 LA Mission played to a 1-1 draw but it was the Eagles that advanced on penalty kicks to end the Roadrunners' season.
A win over LA Mission would advance the Roadrunners to the second round to face the winner of No. 4 Irvine Valley College and No. 13 Victor Valley College on Nov. 22 or 23. Three victories in the regionals are needed to advance to the CCCAA Soccer State Championship on Dec. 2 & 4 at Ventura College.
