A WIN AT NORCO GIVES THE PANTHERS THE IEAC TITLE
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chaffey
(10-7-3, 5-1-2)
|
0 | 2 | 2 |
|
Norco
(10-5-4, 4-2-1)
|
0 | 1 | 1 |
Team Stats
Norco
| Game Statistics | Chaffey | Norco |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 13 (3) | 18 (9) |
| Saves | 8 | 1 |
| Fouls | 15 | 9 |
| Corner Kicks | 4 | 0 |
| Offsides | 1 | 0 |
A 2-1 win today at Norco gave the Panthers exactly what they needed to claim their first Inland Empire Athletic Conference title and first title for rookie head coach Chris Araya.
The match went much like the last time the teams faced off, completely scoreless until Norco shot one past Jonathan Zepeda nearly 77 minutes into play. It took less than three minutes for the Panthers to regroup, reset, and put their first of two back-to-back goals into the net. Goal one came courtesy of Fernando Vargas and a minute and thirty later Luis Casillas gave Chaffey the win and the title.
Zepeda defended the net for the entire game with eight saves.
Araya and assistant coach Jake Davies are no strangers to conference title celebrations, having been a part of multiple championship teams both as players and assistant coaches. The 2022 title is Araya's first as a collegiate head coach.
The men travel to Imperial Valley for a season ending non-conference game next Thursday and then will await playoff seeding.