Irvine Valley's women's soccer team snapped a two-match skid with a 3-1 win over Santa Ana in an Orange Empire Conference match on Friday at IVC.
The Lasers played a strong second half, scoring all three of their goals in the final 45 minutes, to get back to .500 on the season.
Irvine Valley improved its record to 4-4-3 overall and 2-3-1 in conference. Santa Ana slipped to 5-4-2 overall and 1-3-2 in conference.
"It was a difficult game," IVC coach Joe Supe said. "I think we made it tougher than we needed to in the first half, but we had some great scores in the second half. I thought we played a solid second half and controlled the game.
"But we still have to be more organized all the way through."
After a first half that saw just three shots (two by Irvine Valley and one by Santa Ana), the Lasers picked up the pace early in the second half.
Five minutes into the second half, Sophomore defender Rosa Soto-Aleman beat Santa Ana keeper Reyna Campos with a shot to the near post. Soto-Aleman's shot hit the post, bounced off Campos and went in to give IVC a 1-0 lead.
Soto-Aleman set up Irvine Valley's next goal just two minutes later. Freshman forward Emily Rodriguez passed to Soto-Aleman on the left wing and she sent a ball across the middle that sophomore midfielder Hannah Thetford finished to make it 2-0.
IVC sophomore keeper Yesenia Pulido followed with a couple of saves to keep IVC out in front.
The Lasers put the game away for good in the 88th minute. Rodriguez fired a shot on goal that Campos was able to dive and save, but the ball fell to IVC sophomore forward Lexi Benedict, who powered it into the net to put IVC ahead, 3-0.
It was Benedict's team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Santa Ana got in the board in the 90th minute when a ball was put into Kacee Thoren from Lesley Vasquez. Thoren out-raced an IVC defender and then dribbled by Pulido and tapped the ball home.
Pulido ended up making two saves for Irvine Valley, while Campos made four saves for Santa Ana.
Irvine Valley plays on the road next Tuesday, traveling to Golden West for a 3 p.m. conference contest.
