Forni Keeps Cypress in Hunt for Title

Cypress goalkeeper Trisha Forni blocked Long Beach’s fifth and final penalty kick as Cypress defeated the defending state champion, 3-2, in a double-overtime shootout in the second round of the Southern California women’s soccer playoffs Tuesday at Cal State Fullerton.

After two scoreless overtime periods, a shootout followed. Cypress scored on penalty kicks by Alisha Van Tassel, Jane Specht and Nicole Terry, who scored the winning goal.

Cypress scored first on Specht’s goal to end the first half. Jennifer Ferguson tied the score for Long Beach in the 71st minute. Van Tassel put Cypress ahead, 2-1, at the 85th minute. But two minutes later, Long Beach’s Jill Toda scored to make it 2-2, and regulation time ended.

Cypress will play Palomar in the regional third-round game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. The winner advances to the state championship Nov. 28-29 at West Valley College in Saratoga.

In Southern California men’s soccer semifinal:

Santa Ana 3, L.A. Harbor 1--Santa Ana’s Sergio Viera needed only four saves behind the strong defensive performance by, among others, sweeper Andy Arroyo and stopper Victor Licea.

Nick Purdom and Keith Buckley (on a penalty kick) staked the Dons to a 2-0 halftime lead before Oliver Fray cut it in half two minutes into the second half. Santa Ana put the game away in the 83rd minute on Greg Arcos’ goal.