The Southwestern Oregon Community College men’s soccer team played one of its best matches of the season to gain momentum for the playoffs, finishing with a 1-1 draw against visiting Pierce in the Lakers’ regular-season finale on Saturday.

Stuart Aiu scored Southwestern’s goal in the 31st minute, with an assist from Eudoro Guizar.

Chris Hanson scored the equalizer for Pierce in the 61st minute.

“The kids played really well,” said Southwestern coach Ray Fabien.

The Lakers finished the season 4-9-3, good for third place in the NWAACC South Region. Pierce finished second in the region at 7-4-5.

Southwestern faces Everett at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the first round of the NWAACC playoffs.

“We feel really good about how we are going into the playoffs,” Fabien said. “We’re not full strength, but we’re 90-plus percent. The attitude is good. The kids feel very good about themselves.”

Women win finale

Southwestern’s women beat visiting Lower Columbia 7-0 to finish the season on a winning note.

The Lakers got two goals by Traci Kelley and two more by Sarah Droege in the win.

Sophomore team leaders Natasha Sawall and Megan Franko also scored, as did goalie Kate Tuers, who got a goal right before the match ended.

Sawall, Franko, Jennifer Muchmore, Rebecca Fanter and Parker Sublette had assists.

Southwestern finished the season 11-7-0, in fourth place in the tough South Region.

The region’s three playoff berths went to Clackamas (16-0-1), Lane (14-3-1) and Clark (11-4-3). Southwestern would have finished first or second in two other regions.

Volleyball team second

Southwestern’s volleyball team took second place at the Umpqua crossover tournament over the weekend in Roseburg.

The Lakers started strong, by sweeping their three pool play matches on Friday, beating Umpqua 30-22, 30-28; Blue Mountain, 26-30, 30-20, 15-10; and Wenatchee Valley, 30-27, 30-20.

“We played better than we have been playing in a long time,” Laker coach John Speasl said.

Jessica Bond had 75 assists on the opening day, while Hannah Singleton had 24 kills and Ashley Canup finished with 34 digs.

The Lakers came back Saturday morning to win their final pool match, over Shoreline, 22-30, 30-15, 15-10.

When the tournament turned to bracket play Saturday afternoon, Southwestern beat Wenatchee Valley in the semifinals, 30-19, 30-22, 30-26, before losing to Columbia Basin in the final, 30-12, 30-17, 30-20.

In the  semifinal match, Singleton 15 kills and five solo blocks, Whitney Miller 14 kills and 18 digs, Amber Perry had 12 kills, Bond had 42 assists and 20 digs and Canup 20 digs.

Bond was named to the all-tournament team.

“The kids played really well,” Speasl said. “I was proud of them. To get second in that tournament was good.”

Since they have not advanced to the NWAACC tournament, the Lakers finish the season on Wednesday at Umpqua.

“We’ve beaten four teams that are going to the NWAACC Tournament,” Speasl said. “The Southern Region is real tough.”