VENTURA - A lone goal in the 66th minute compliments of Haley McDevitt was all the Santiago Canyon College Hawks needed to haul in the 2018 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) women's soccer state championship. The Hawks defeated the Lake Tahoe City College Coyotes, 1-0, to earn their third state title in program history and first since 2009.
It was a picture-perfect finale for the Hawks as they completed the season on an undefeated note. They rattled off 24 consecutive wins leading to their historical state championship victory.
Much like the Hawks season, the championship clinching goal was an immaculate combination. After drawing a foul just outside the goalkeeper's box on the near side of the pitch, Kendra Koerth lofted up a beautiful pass with her right foot that connected with the head of McDevitt. McDevitt rose up over three Coyote defenders and headed the ball in the bottom left pocket of the goal for the score.
The early stages of the contest were tight, but Santiago Canyon held the edge the majority of the contest. They dominated time of possession and found themselves in Coyote territory more often than not. The Hawks outshot the Coyotes 16-3 in the game with seven of Santiago Canyon's shots landing on target.
McDevitt was named the Most Valuable Player after netting two goals in the state tournament. Jessica Neighbors earned her 14th win of the season after racking up a trio of saves.
Lake Tahoe ends their season with a 20-1-4 overall mark which stands as the strongest season in the programs young history.
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