The following is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and was written by Jim Seimas. Click HERE for the full article.

APTOS — After 120 minutes of grueling play, the Cabrillo College women's soccer team dipped into its tank and sprinted 50 yards to mob goalie Jessica Zavala. The reserves streamed in from the touchline to join the party, as the home crowd celebrated. Zavala deserved that much.

The freshman, a Watsonville High alumna, survived a brutal collision that floored Taft's Juliet Garcia in the second of two mandatory, 15-minute overtimes. The extra periods yielded the same result as 90 minutes of regular — nothing got past her.

The scoreless affair went to penalty kicks and five extra kickers were needed as Cabrillo prevailed 8-7 to advance from the first round of the CCCAA NorCal playoffs under a full moon Saturday night.

Zavala, who made full-extension, diving save in with two minutes left in the second overtime, finished with 12 stops. Thirteen if you count her block in the shootout. She also got her hand on three other balls that snuck into the net during penalty kicks.

"She, as always, had an amazing game," said teammate Caroline Sullivan, a midfielder. "She never fails. She really came out today and gave it everything she had. 'Player of the Game,' I'd say. For sure."

The following is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and was written by Jim Seimas. Click HERE for the full article.