The Big 8 Champs Take NorCal Regionals

The Wolverines headed to Merced College to compete in the Northern California Regional

Championship as the number one seed in NorCal. They would face conference opponent,

the Modesto Junior College Pirates, to open the tournament. In the first quarter, the

Wolverines would lead 8-0 with goals from Makenna Perez (2), Jane Lubiens, Kahu Arama,

Raegan Chavez (2), Kaeli Stowell, and Aja Fuller. Going into halftime, they would have

added another six goals from Lubiens (2), Arama, Veronika Lapteva, Stowell, and Izzy

Howell, extending their lead to 14-2. Allie Nihart would add two goals of her own, and

Lubiens would tally another in the third quarter, giving the Wolverines a large margin of 17-7

heading into the 4th quarter. Perez, Chavez (2), Taylor Sanchez, and Aja Fuller would add a

combined five goals to the final score of 22-10 against the Pirates. This win secured the

Wolverines' spot in the semi-finals and confirmed their position in the 3C2A State

Championship the following weekend.

The Wolverines would next face an opponent they hadn't seen since their loss to them on

October 1st, during Conference play. The fourth seed of NorCal Regionals was the Diablo

Valley College Vikings. To open the game in the first quarter, the Wolverines would lead, 4-1,

with goals from Perez, Nihart, Arama, and Chavez. By halftime, the Wolverines extended

their lead with goals from Perez, Arama, and Chavez to 7-2. The third quarter would prove to

be an even match-up between the Wolverines and the Vikings, each adding a point to the

board, with the Wolverines' goal coming from Sophomore Captain, Lubiens. Lubiens would

continue the lead into the fourth quarter, recording another two goals, and Rhodes would

add one as well. The Wolverines would punch their ticket into the NorCal Regional Title

game with an 11-8 win over the Vikings.

The Wolverines haven't been strangers to this title game, returning this year for the third

consecutive year, and the opponent they would be facing is no exception. To take home the

NorCal Regional Championship, the Wolverines would have to face the American River

College Beavers for the 5th time this season. In the previous weekend, the Wolverines

would come out on top of the Beavers to earn the Big 8 Conference title and the first seed

into NorCal Regionals. Through the downpour of rain, the Wolverines were set to take on

the Beavers. With one goal from Nihart and two goals from Chavez, the Wolverines found

themselves down at the end of the first quarter, 3-4. With one goal each from Lubiens and

Chavez, the Wolverines would look to Sophomore Captain Makenna Perez to extend the

lead. Perez would tally five goals for herself, with Savannah Campos making critical blocksto give the Wolverines a 10-8 lead going into halftime. In the third quarter, Rhodes, Perez,

and Lubiens would each add one goal to give the Wolverines a comfortable 13-9 lead going

into the final quarter. With one final goal from Perez, to add to her total of seven goals, and

six assists from Chaves throughout the game, the Wolverines took the Beavers 14-12 to

secure their first NorCal Regional title since 2019.

The Wolverines became victorious over the Beavers for a 4th time this season, added to

their collective total of 9 NorCal Regional titles, and punched their ticket as the first seed

from NorCal in the 3C2A State Championship the following weekend. Head Coach Jake

Hastie would add another title in his first year of coaching the Women's program and

continue the tradition of success in the Sierra College Women's Aquatics program.

Congratulations, ladies, this was well-deserved. Go Wolverines!!