PHOENIX (Tuesday, June 8th, 2021) -- Late game heroics seem to be the theme for #1 Phoenix College at the Women's NJCAA DII National Championships as a pair of goals in the second half against #6 Jones in the semifinals on Tuesday morning propelled the women's team to its first ever NJCAA Championship match.
Phoenix College will face the winner of #4 Heartland vs #2 Holmes on Wednesday at 4:00PM Arizona time. Link to watch the match.
Phoenix College is now only the second women's program from Arizona to appear in a NJCAA championship match. The other program was Paradise Valley who won the women's DI NJCAA title in 2010, 2012, and 2016.
The road to the championship match started off on the right foot for Phoenix College who defeated #12 Muskegon thanks to Zalma Torres' (SC del Sol) game-winning goal in the 84th minute. In the second and last group stage match, #8 Waubonsee and Phoenix College traded goals with Torres notching her second of the tournament in the first half. With Phoenix College on the brink of elimination, Kiana Miyazato (Excel Soccer Academy) scored an equalizing goal in the 89th minute and in the 101st minute Anacel Valenzuela-Acosta (SC del Sol) scored the game winner.
In Tuesday's semifinal match, Valenzuea-Acosta scored her second of the tournament in the 55th minute and Daizy Arredondo (SC del Sol) doubled the lead in the 79th minute.