Ramona girls soccer team cruises to success in CIF State Division V local opener

RIVERSIDE-- There are goals in this Ramona side.

Kimberly Cifuentes' hat trick highlighted a record night as Ramona's women soccer group rolled on with an 8-0 triumph Tuesday night over Alliance Marine-Innovation & & Technology of Sun Valley in a CIF State Division V regional quarterfinal match.

"We tell them, ‘‘ Just play our game. It's been working.' We're not trying to alter too much," Ramona coach Noemy Castro said.

Emely Rodriguez, Daisy Corona and Cifuentes scored in a 3-minute period in the first half as Ramona (17-6-3) set season highs for first-half goals and goals in a match.

The Rams, the No. 1 seed in the Division V regional, will host No. 4 seed Clairemont of San Diego in a semifinal match Thursday.

"I see us going all the way however we're not trying to be cocky. We're trying to stay humble," Cifuentes said.

Ramona, which declared the CIF Southern Section Division 6 champion with a 2-0 victory over Carter recently, broke through on Tuesday in the 15th minute as Rodriguez's header caught the AMIT goalkeeper going the other method and bounded into the internet.

The Rams gained back possession from the kickoff and attacked up the best side, with Cifuentes whipping a cross into Corona for a second goal just 43 seconds after the opener.

"It took us a bit to adjust but once we did we finished the job," stated Cifuentes, who scored the game-winner in the area last.

Empowered to opt for more, Ramona amped up the pressure, earned a corner kick and Cifuentes used the surface for a 3-0 in the 18th minute.

Cifuentes scored on a 2nd chance put-back in the 21st minute, and Kimberly Javier-Campus scored a minute later to make it 5-0 before halftime.

Nyomi Rivas netted a charge in the first 5 minutes of the second half, Cifuentes completed her hat trick with a clean strike in the 65th minute, and a late objective from Kyrah Souza ended up the scoring.

AMIT (14-2-3) did not produce a shot on goal until the 2nd half in losing for the very first time considering that a 6-2 defeat to North Hollywood on Feb. 2.

The L.A. City Section Division V champ, AMIT had a totally free kick early in the second half saved by Ramona backup goalkeeper Marianna Osuna, who began in the 2nd half and made two saves as the Rams recorded their fourth successive nothing and fifth of the postseason.