Saperstein scores twice as Vaqueros open WSC with 5-0 shutout

Kaitlyn Saperstein tallied two goals on Tuesday and SBCC posted a 5-0 women's soccer shutout of visiting Hancock in a WSC North opener at La Playa Stadium.

The Western State Conference added a couple of teams this year, expanding to 16 schools. There are now three divisions for women's soccer – North, South and East – and the Vaqueros are playing in the six-team WSC North Division.

The Vaqueros (7-3, 1-0) recorded their second straight shutout and Alejandra Camarillo returned to her goalie position after missing two games with an injury. SBCC is 4-0 at home and has outscored its opponents 20-1.

The Vaqueros outshot the Bulldogs 38-0 with 19 shots on goal. Goalie Karime Morales had 14 saves for Hancock (2-4, 0-1).

Katherine Sheehy opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a left-footed blast from the top of the box. Saperstein, a sophomore from San Marcos High, scored on a 24-yard free kick in the 32nd minute to give the Vaqueros a 2-0 halftime lead.

SBCC scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the second half. Josefine Von Der Burg notched her team-leading eighth goal just 65 seconds into the second stanza, taking a pass from Desiree Benavidez and scoring from 12 yards away.

Five minutes later, Von Der Burg fed a pass to Saperstein, who beat the keeper from nine yards to make it 4-0 in the 52nd minute. After a corner kick and a scramble in front of the goal, Stephanie Rodriguez poked the ball in for her first goal of the year in the 82nd minute.

"We were two goals up at the half and we felt it should have been more," said coach John Sisterson. "We started connecting passes in the second half and we played much better. It was great to be able to use a lot of subs and rest some players for Friday's game.

"Kaitlyn has three goals in the last two games and she had a great free kick today. Josefine comes on and gives you a little something more. She understands the role of a center forward and she holds the ball well, then knows how to turn and finish. She's a handful."

Santa Barbara plays four of its next five on the road, starting with a Friday date at Oxnard at 2 p.m.