VERY IMPORTANT VICTORY FOR THE MARAUDER MEN'S SOCCER TEAM

Photo by Bruce Jacobsen

LANCASTER - If head coach Jerry Stupar and the Marauder men's soccer team only won two conference matches the entire season they would most likely tell you it would have to be against College of the Canyons.

The Cougars only play 45 minutes away and they are considered AVC's arch-nemesis. Not only that but Stupar came from COC and still has close ties there.

So any victory against the Cougars is a special one for Stupar and the Marauders.

"When AVC plays rival COC it's always going to be a war, especially since I came to AVC from Canyons," said Stupar. "I knew the guys would be ready for the match (on Friday). It was important to the sophomores to win as they made a pact last year to always play big against them and to eliminate players from leaving the Antelope Valley to Santa Clarita."

In a dominant performance by AVC, Jose Mojica and the rest of the AVC sophomores made good on their promise with an easy 3-1 victory over the Cougars Friday evening at Marauder Stadium.

Friday night's victory marks the third consecutive victory over COC (3-11-1, 0-3-1) since the beginning of last season, AVC's first ever.

Mojica scored his ninth goal of the season, which leads the Western State Conference-South Division. Cameron Tyler led the Marauders (6-7-2, 1-2-1) with a goal and an assist.

"He (Tyler) came up big today with a goal and assist to relieve some pressure from Mojica," Stupar said. "Our defense held COC scoreless for 83 minutes. They were able to sneak one in with only five shot attempts.  We were able to halt most of their attack.  Tactical discipline in the defense and increased shot attempts from the offense gave us the win."

The Marauders attack was dominant as it outshot COC, 20-5.