Freshman Cecilia Gavino scored a hat trick (three goals) to lead the Taft College Wildcats women's soccer team to a 5-1 Central Valley Conference victory over the Reedley College Tigers on Saturday at Immanuel High School's County Line Stadium in Reedley.
The victory moved Taft into a tie for third place in the CVC with a 2-2 record and an overall mark of 7-6. Reedley dropped to 0-4 in conference action and 0-8 overall going into a Tuesday noon match at home against the West Hills Lemoore Golden Eagles.
It took about 10 seconds for Gavino to open the scoring on Saturday. But Tiger freshman Janet Vasquez tied the match with an unassisted goal in the sixth minute.
But that turned out to be the last shot on goal for the Tigers. Taft's Jasmine Sepulveda scored twice to put the Cougars ahead to stay with the go-ahead goal coming in the 34th minute. Gavino, who had not scored this season before Saturday, closed out the scoring with goals in the 60th and 71st minute.
Freshman Susana Sandoval (Orange Cove) got the start in goal and had seven saves in 75 minutes before freshman Amy Martinez took over and was credited with four saves.

By: Will Goldbeck