Hawks Women Gear Up for Tough Playoff Test

By Arion Armeniakos

The Las Positas College women’s soccer team did not get a lot of time to enjoy its dominant first-round victory over Taft in the CCCAA Northern Regional Playoffs.

That's because a major challenge awaits the seventh-seeded Hawks just three days later. They will travel to No. 2 ranked Big 8 Conference champion San Joaquin Delta College on Tuesday in Round 2.

Delta has established itself as a powerhouse on a national scale, and after leading the state in shutouts (18) and goals against (6) this season, they will be determined to win a state championship this year after a Final Four exit last fall.

Hawks’ head coach Andrew Cumbo, while well aware of Delta’s strengths and the challenges that they will pose, insisted that he will not tinker with his team or the tactics too much. Instead, he'll emphasize the confidence and momentum which his team carried over from their Coast Conference-North championship run into the post-season.

“I don’t think we change too much for them going into the match; we’re in a good place right now,” said Cumbo, whose team bested Taft 3-1 in its playoff opener.

Cumbo’s side suffered a 2-0 defeat to Delta earlier this season, but there were positives to take from that game which should have the Hawks feeling optimistic heading to a field at which Delta have not lost for two years.

“When we saw them early on in the year, despite conceding two goals early in the second half, I felt like we matched up with them well,” Cumbo said. “Since then, we’ve improved. I’m sure they have improved too, but it’s a good match up. This is why we played them and other top teams in preseason. It was preparation for the playoffs.”

While the Hawks cannot boast an offensive record as strong as Delta’s (No. 3 in the state for goals scored with 94) — they have been among the state’s elite in defense. The Hawks ranked at No. 9 in the state in goals against (13) and No. 11 in shutouts (11).

The statistics indicate that both teams could be in for an even match. Cumbo emphasized the need for his players to focus on themselves and do the things that they set out to do correctly.

“The margin of error for both teams in this game will be very small,” Cumbo said. “The game will likely come down to a couple of key moments and plays, so the key to victory for us will be to make sure that we hit all of our objectives and win the individual battles.”