Lauryn Bailey Named Conference POY, All-Region & All-State, Cougars Have 11 Players Earn Postseason Awards

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

College of the Canyons sophomore Lauryn Bailey has been named a California Community College Soccer Coaches Association (CCCSCA) All-State and All-SoCal Region First-Team selection in addition to earning Western State Conference (WSC), South Division Offensive Player of the Year honors, leading a class of 11 Lady Cougars that earned postseason awards. 

COC sophomore forward Rebekah Brooks was named to the CCCSCA All-SoCal Region First-Team and also named an All-WSC, South Division First-Team selection, while sophomore goalkeeper Kylie Yuzon was recognized as the WSC, South Division Goalie of the Year.

In addition to its Player of the Year awards, Canyons had four players earn all-conference First-Team accolades, three named to the Second-Team and two more take home Honorable Mention designations. 

Bailey, who played at forward and midfielder throughout the year, logged 21 starts and finished her sophomore campaign with 15 goals and 37 points across 23 games. That scoring total also included two game winners. Bailey's seven assists ranked second on the squad. 

The Burroughs High School graduate started the season with goals in three straight games and later netted seven goals across the Cougars' final eight regular season games. She also scored four goals in the first five matches of the conference schedule. In all, she recorded two-score games on four occasions vs. conference opponents Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Monica and West L.A. College. Those totals helped rank Bailey No. 24 in the state in scoring.

An All-WSC First-Team selection as a freshman in 2021, Bailey finishes her two-year Cougars career with 26 goals and nine assists. She is the ninth WSC, South Player of the Year honoree in COC women's soccer program history, joining an elite group of distinguished players from the program's history that includes Brooks (2021), Angel Quintero (2017), Hailey Phipps (2016), Marissa Kneisel (2015 & 2014), Stacey Atwater (2013), Jessica Guerro (2011) and Whitney Johnson (2004).

Brooks completed her sophomore campaign with 21 goals across 18 games, including four game winners and three postseason scores. She scored seven goals in the Cougars' final six games of the season after sitting out a stretch of five matches. The two-year starter finished the year with eight multi-goal games, including her first collegiate hat trick vs. West L.A. on Oct. 4. The 2021 conference Player of the Year also added four assists to finish her sophomore season with 46 points. For her career, Brooks scored 40 goals to go with eight assists. 

Yuzon wrapped up with 2022 campaign with a record of 10-4-4 across her 18 starts between the pipes. She was unofficially credited with 77 saves with 18 goals allowed for a 1.01 goal against average. The sophomore from Magnolia Science Academy was unbeaten in eight straight matches before Canyons suffered its road OT postseason loss. 

Joining Brooks in earning All-WSC First-Team honors were freshman Giselle Gomez, sophomore Sascha Marcellin and sophomore Natalia Zuluaga Ramirez.

Gomez finished the year with three goals from her midfield position after finding a late-season long-range scoring strike. The Valencia High School graduate added three assists to her point total and also scored her first career postseason goal in the Cougars win over L.A. Pierce in the second round of the playoffs.

Marcellin finished third on the team with five goals to go along with three assists despite primarily playing defense for the bulk of the season. After being pressed into action as a forward, Marcellin responded with a four-game streak in which she netted four scores, two of which were game winners.

Zuluaga Ramirez started all 23 games for the Cougars finishing with three goals and an assist as a midfielder and defender. Her biggest strike came vs. Mt. San Jacinto in COC's playoff opener and was credited as the game winner. 

All-Conference Second-Team selections for the Cougars included freshman Laurel Durkin, sophomore Sabine Yalung and freshman Natalie Quezada. 

Durkin logged 11 starts in her 15 games of action with an assist. Yalung played in all 23 games with 21 starts, playing all over the field to end with a goal and three assists on the season. Quezada also managed to score three goals for her side despite primarily serving as a defender.

Freshman defender Emma Amaya played in 21 games with 14 starts and sophomore defender Naobi Orozco started in all 17 matches she appeared in as both brought home Honorable Mention designations.

Canyons finished with an overall record 15-4-4 and 10-1-3 mark in conference play, qualifying for postseason play for an 11th consecutive season under head coach Justin Lundin. The Cougars finished runner-up in the WSC, South Division standings. 

COC then achieved a program first by advancing to the third round of the CCCAA Southern California Regional Playoffs with postseason wins over No. 24 Mt. San Jacinto and No. 8 L.A. Pierce College. Canyons eventually had its season come to an end with a 2-0 OT loss to No. 1 state ranked Chaffey College in the third round. 

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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information