One late goal ends up being difference between LTCC and state championship

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was so close!

2018 was a storied and undefeated regular season for the Lake Tahoe Community College women's soccer team. It was a year of many firsts.

The Coyotes were ranked number two at one point according to the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III women’s soccer national poll. They find out today when the next national poll results are released where they ended up nationally for the season.

The big game though is what they wanted to win, especially since they dominated throughout the season by dismantling defenses across the state. Their first round victory in the tournament's final four on Friday night looked like the set up to a big win in the final game. But the Santiago Canyon College Hawks of Orange, Calif., had a different game plan.

It was a lone goal by the Hawks in the 66th minute of a scoreless championship game in Ventura on Sunday that kept the state title from the LTCC Coyotes.

The Hawks have won the title three times, all before 2009, and made it to the finals the last four years. Their undefeated season brought them a 24-0-0 record to the championship game against LTCC's 20-4-0 record.

Both the Coyotes and the Hawks played a very tough, physical game in Sunday’s final match, remaining scoreless at the half. The Hawks came out strong in the second half, and managed to draw a foul just outside the Coyote goalkeeper’s box with nearly 24 minutes left in the game, giving the Hawks a free kick. That ended up within striking distance of the Coyote’s net, and was headed into the goal, just outside of the reach of Coyote goalkeeper Claudia Janese. It was the only goal Janese allowed during her team’s playoff run, and one of a precious few she’s allowed all season. But the one goal was enough – despite a flurry of activity by the Coyotes around the Hawks’ goal in the final minutes, they were unable to put one in.

It wasn’t the ending they hoped for, but the Coyotes have a slew of reasons to feel excited for the future, and to feel great about the season they had.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of girls,” said Coyote Head Coach Jeremy Evans, who has been with the team since 2015. “No other team worked harder and wanted to win the state title more than this team. But for those who have actually played athletics, you know this is part of the deal: you don’t always win your last game. But as disappointed as the girls are about their loss in the Finals, they’ll soon look back and appreciate the joy of winning 20 games, of being nationally ranked in the Top 5 all season, of winning another conference championship, of making it to the Final Four, of making it to a state title game, and of being a team in every sense of the word.”

Evans was quick to point out what a complete team effort their phenomenal 2018 season was.

“I’ll be eternally grateful for the chance to coach this special group, and to have coached them alongside assistants Tomaz Marinelli and Nicole Vandehurst, and with the support of our men’s coach, Nick Arbelaez, and our athletic trainer Jeremy Vandehurst,” said Evans. “They all helped make this journey a special one, and they created a positive experience for these student-athletes.”

LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco, who was on hand to witness the tough loss, noted just how far the women’s team has come, and in such a short amount of time.

“The team, Coach Evans, and Athletic Director Mike Spina should rightly be quite proud of themselves,” said DeFranco. “They’ve taken this program to new heights, and we’re now on the national map thanks to their determination and grit. While it certainly was a tough loss, we have a phenomenal program in place and we have a lot to look forward to. Thank you to all of the student-athletes and staff who created a lot of excitement on campus and in our community, and made us all so proud.”

LTCC launched both its Coyote women’s and men’s soccer programs in 2014. The women won back-to-back Golden Valley Conference (GVC) championships in 2017 and 2018 and have now made it to the regional playoffs three times and the Final Four once. The men’s soccer team won the Golden Valley Conference in 2015, and also has made it to the regional playoffs three times. The men’s team advanced to the Final Four in 2015, where they lost in the semi-finals. For more information about LTCC’s soccer programs and its world-class soccer pitch, visit www.ltcc.edu/athletics.