Soccer dream season comes to an end

The Yuba College women’s soccer team was finally brought down to earth by DeAnza in a scrappy, defensive 1-0 loss during the second round of the playoffs, and Yuba wouldn’tve had it any other way. Ironically, it was the same DeAnza squad which brought last season to a grinding halt in the second round as well, and it seemed that visiting DeAnza tore a page from Yuba’s playbook and turned it against them, with a defensive, low scoring playoff bout.Throghout the season, if the other team was able to generate quality shots, let alone score a single goal, Yuba would have still found a way to cut the field in half and swarm the opponents zone with offensive pressure, and at times seemingly score at will. However, this was not the regular season, this was the playoffs. Despite Yuba’s star goalie Erin Cunningham making a career high 19 saves, many of the high quality variety, all it took was one goal to bring the mighty Niners season to an end. Cunningham, who earned Yuba College Athlete of the Week honors, as voted by the athletics department of Yuba College for her amazing performances during the season, including a mind-boggling 17 shutouts. Assisting her, no doubt was the defensive system prescribed by coach Jason Spain, and the mindful team executing in front of her.In the second round finale vs. DeAnza, Yuba faced a tough defensive system, as well as a stalwart goaltender, much like thier own.Yuba was held to only a handful of chances, including a Lindsay Holman shot that was just wide in the first half, and three in the second half, despite controlling the ball for 35 minutes in DeAnza’s end.Yuba finished the season with a sparkling record of 20-2-4, and will have 17 returners next season, who will no doubt be looking for a way to beat DeAnza.