Cougars Win Again, Three Finish in Top-10

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

SANTA BARBARA — College of the Canyons won its second Western State Conference (WSC) of the season at Santa Barbara Golf Club on Monday, with stellar sophomore Sahya Kitabatake following suite by taking medalist honors once again.

Canyons (12-0) was led by Kitabatake's one-under-par round of 71 while seeing three players finish in the top-10 of the individual standings. Joining Kitabatake in that distinction were freshmen Alex Downing and Sofia Allard 

Downing placed fifth in the field of 35 with her score of 83. Allard finished 10th overall with a round of 94. 

Baily Fara Lieberman and Valerie Sherman turned in identical scores of 106 to tie for 23rd.

Those scores placed Canyons (354) at the top of the team standings ahead of runner-up Allan Hancock College (369), Moorpark College (372) in third and Santa Barbara City College (377) across the top four spots.

Bakersfield College (389), Antelope Valley College (468) and Citrus College (471) rounded out the seven-team field

COC has won its first two conference events by a combined 19 strokes. The Cougars previously won the Chuck Melendez Invitational held at Olivas Links Golf Course on Aug. 25. Kitabatake has also brought home medalist honors in those first two events 

Canyons will next tee off at the WSC tournament hosted by Moorpark College at Sterling Hills Golf Course on Monday, Sept. 15. Start time is scheduled for 11 a.m. 

TEAM SCORES
1. Canyons (354) 2. Allan Hancock (369) 3. Moorpark (372) 4. Santa Barbara (377) 5. Bakersfield (389) 6. Antelope Valley (468) 7. Citrus (471) 

CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES
CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES – Sahya Kitabatake (71-medalist); Alex Downing (83-5th); Sofia Allard 94-10th);  Baily Fara Lieberman (106-T23rd); Valerie Sherman (106-T23rd)

FIELD INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
1 - 71 – Sahya Kitabatake (COC)
2 - 78 – Zan McGovern (AHC)
T3 - 81 – Kalia Aparicio (MP); Aidie Smith (SBCC)
5 - 83 – Alex Downing (COC)
6 - 90 – Ali Muncy (MP)
7 - 92 – Savannah Fryhoo (MP)
T8 - 93 – Camryn Chapman (SBCC); Ivana Escobar (BC)
10 - 94 – Sofia Allard (COC)
T11 - 95 – Brooke Mantano (AHC); Bianca Tan (CIT)
13 - 97 – Izzy Brandon (BC)
T14 - 98 – Ally Price (AHC), Kaitlin Acosta (AHC)
16 - 99 – Riley Bloxom (BC)
T17 - 100 – Mylee Gonzalez (SBCC); Mia Townsend (BC)
19 - 101 – Grace Gelfound (AVC)
20 - 103 – Azul Calzadillas (SBCC)
21 - 104 – Hayden Hazard (AVC)
22 - 105 – Kyralisa Riel (BC)
T23 - 106 – Baily Fara Lieberman (COC); Valerie Sherman (COC)
25 - 107 – Elizabeth Alderete (BC)
26 - 109 – Ricille Casino (MP)
27 - 113 – Ariana Duncan (AHC)
28 - 123 – Lusha De (CIT)
29 - 124 – Stella Shen (CIT)
T30 - 129 – Joelle Hanon (AVC); Nicole Lowenstein (CIT)
32 - 132 – Chelcie Small (MP)
33 - 134 – Alayna Hottya (AVC)
34 - 136 – Liliana Morency (MP)
35 - 143 – Chloe Kouyoumdjian (CIT)

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo by Shelby Scott/Allan Hancock College Sports Information