Women’s Soccer: No. 2 Rio Hondo shocked in playoffs, fall 2-1 to Saddleback in first round

Women’s Soccer: No. 2 Rio Hondo shocked in playoffs, fall 2-1 to Saddleback in first round

A promising 2019 Rio Hondo College women's soccer season came to a crushing end on Saturday as the No. 2 seeded Roadrunners suffered a 2-1 loss to No. 15 Saddleback College in a first-round game of the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

Rio Hondo got off to a 1-0 lead after sophomore Vivian Viramontes knocked in her team-leading 22nd goal of the season in the 22nd minute of the contest off the assist from Lismed Salcido.

But Saddleback's Paige Vitolo gave the Gauchos the equalizer in the 35th minute and scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 52nd minute. Rio Hondo couldn't convert on its chances in the second half and was forced out of the playoffs early.

The Roadrunners, who were ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation this year, closed out the season with a 15-2-3 overall record. Rio Hondo captured its fifth conference championship over the last six years, earning the South Coast Conference title with a perfect 8-0 mark. The Roadrunners made their fifth straight postseason appearance under head coach Jennifer Tanaka-Hoshijo.