Gilbert’s goal lifts No. 1 Vaqueros over Moorpark in WSC debut

Lourdes Gilbert scored in the 21st minute on Tuesday night and No. 1 SBCC made it stand up for a 1-0 women's soccer victory over Moorpark in a WSC North women's soccer opener at La Playa Stadium.

The Vaqueros are ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 3 in the nation. Santa Barbara won its 10th straight game to improve to 10-0-1 on the year and 5-0 at home. It was the third straight shutout and seventh in eight games. Moorpark fell to 3-8-1.

SBCC has outscored its last eight opponents 16-1.

Matalyn Perry delivered a long lead pass at 20:05 and Gilbert made a short run, then beat the keeper inside the left post.

"I ran down the left side, dribbled past a few players and saw an opening," said Gilbert, a freshman forward from St. Bonaventure High. "We dominated the first half 100 percent. Our movement was insane. We could have done better in the second half but we definitely outplayed them."

The Vaqueros outshot the visitors 8-1 in the first half and 17-4 for the game. The shots on-goal were 8-2 in favor of the home team. SBCC had the ball 75 to 80 percent of the time.

"I thought the girls played exceptionally well in the first half," said SBCC coach John Sisterson. "That was one of the best halves I've ever seen by a women's team here. Great through ball by Matty and Lulu (Lourdes' nickname) got on the end of it and scored a great goal.

"We told our players not to panic and just keep moving the ball around. If the opposition doesn't have the ball, they're never going to score."

SBCC had another chance to score in the 59th minute when Katherine Sheehy sent a cross to Isabella Viana and she collided with goalie Lauren Gunn. The ball trickled to within a yard of the goal-line before a defender cleared it away.

The Vaqueros will host Oxnard on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.