Penalty-kick shootout win sends Colts to State Championships for second straight year

REDWOOD CITY – 120 minutes of soccer wasn't enough to decide a winner between No. 5-seeded Cañada College and No. 9 Fresno City College on Saturday in their regional final match of the Northern California Playoffs.

But the Colts prevailed 4-3 in a penalty-kick shootout to punch their ticket to the 3C2A State Championships. Head coach Erik Gaspar and his Cañada men's soccer squad are headed to the state championships for the second straight season with some unfinished business to take care of.

Saturday's fourth-round Northern California playoff game will officially go down as a 0-0 draw with neither team able to find the back of the net. The Cañada defense limited Fresno City's scoring opportunities while Luis Evangelista made two saves in goal on his way to posting the Colts' third straight shutout. Cañada has yet to allow a postseason goal in three games.

The Colts, who have suffered just one loss over their last 17 games, take a 13-2-7 overall record into the 3C2A State Championships at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. The state final four gets underway on Friday, Dec. 5 with Cañada facing Cerritos College (15-6-3) and Hartnell College (17-3-4) taking on Los Angeles City College (15-4-7) in the semifinals. The state championship final is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 7.

Last year, the Colts had their state championship title hopes come to an end with a narrow 2-1 loss to Cuyamaca College in the semifinals.