Women's Soccer: Roadrunners rack up nine SCC postseason honors

Fresh off its first-ever South Coast Conference North Division championship, the Rio Hondo College women's soccer team recognized with nine South Coast Conference postseason honors. Sophomore Madison Mader tops the list as she was named the SCC Defensive Player of the Year while the Roadrunners placed four on the All-SCC first team and four more on the second team.

Mader, out of California High School, anchored a stingy Roadrunner back line that wrapped up the regular season allowing 0.94 goals per game over 19 contests with six shutouts. Mader also aided the offense with seven points, scoring a goal with five assists this season.

Earning first-team All-SCC honors were sophomores Erika Lizarraga (Cerritos HS), Daisy Gallegos (California HS), and Melissa Gonzales, as well as freshman Emma Contreras (Lynwood HS).

Lizarraga led the SCC North with 33 points from the forward position as she scored 12 goals and added nine assists. Gallegos totaled 23 points off eight goals and seven assists while Gonzales played a role in the strong Rio Hondo defense while also chipping in with five points (2 goals/1 assist). Contreras was also a weapon on offense as she scored four goals and added five assists for 13 points.

Second-team accolades went to freshmen Ingrid Castillo (Middle College HS), Samantha Garcia (California HS), Dayna James (Charter Oak HS), and Vivian Viramontes (Alhambra HS). Castillo was also a part of the Roadrunners defense while Garcia is second on the squad with 11 goals this season. James saw action on defense and Viramontes has 23 points thanks to six goals and a team-leading 11 assists.

Rio Hondo was recently named the No. 4 seed for the 2016 Southern California Regional Playoffs and will host the No. 13 Cypress College Chargers in an opening-round game on Saturday (Nov. 19) at 7 p.m.

The Rio Hondo College Soccer Complex will host a playoff doubleheader as the No. 5-seeded men's soccer team will take on No. 12 Los Angeles Mission College at 4 p.m. Tickets to the CCCAA postseason event are $12 for general admission and $8 for staff, students, and children.

Rio Hondo compiled a 13-1-5 overall record and went 5-0-3 in conference play to capture the SCC North Division title. The Roadrunners will enter the postseason ranked No. 19 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Junior College Division III National Poll.