Cougars Lead Field, Take Top Two Individual Spots at North-South Invitational

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

MORRO BAY, Calif. — For the second year in a row College of the Canyons won the two-day Morro Bay North-South Invitational, with sophomores Haruka Koda and Jessie Lin taking the top two spots in the individual standings.

The annual 36-hole event attracted a field of 14 of the top women's golf programs from across the state while providing a preview of the course which will host the 2019 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championships in November. 

Canyons, the defending state champions, also won the North-South Invitational event in 2018.

Koda and Lin fought each other for two rounds before Koda was eventually crowned event medalist with a two-day score of 146. She fired identical one-over-par rounds of 73 on both days.

The sophomore from Miyoshi City, Japan, finished third at the same event a year ago. Last fall she recorded a score of 154 (79/75) in the September Morro Bay event. When playing the same course during the 2018 state championships in November, Koda shot a 143 (72/71).

Lin was the medalist after Sunday's round with an even par score of 72, one shot in front of Koda. She finished second overall at 149 (72/77). Lin also has a favorable history in Morro Bay, having finished seventh on the course in both events a season ago.

Katie Stribling (154-75/79) of Saddleback College, Precious Saelee of Mt. SAC (155-78/77) and Pratima Sherpa of Santa Barbara City College (157-82/75) rounded out the top five individual spots. 

COC sophomore Paige Heuer (160-81/79) was third for the Cougars followed by Fredeliza Lieberman (183-93/90).

Shabana Poswal did not compete on Sunday, but carded an 88 during Monday's round to factor into the day two tally. COC newcomer Delaney Young (205-100/105) also competed but had her score scratched.

Canyons finished 26 strokes ahead of runner-up College of the Desert (661-338/324), third place Reedley College (665-329/336) and Saddleback College (666-326/340) in fourth.

The Cougars will be back in action Monday, Sept. 30, at Antelope Valley Country Club for the fourth Western State Conference (WSC) event of the season. 

North-South Invitational — Sept. 22, 2019 — FIRST ROUND SCORES
TEAM SCORES — 1. Canyons (319) 2. Saddleback (326) 3. Reedley (329) 4. Sierra (332) 5. Modesto (337) 6. Desert (338) 7. SBCC (345) 8. Mt. SAC (351) 9. San Joaquin Delta (374) 10. Sacramento City (380) 11. Mt. JAC (395) 12. Bakersfield (457) 13. Citrus (475) 14. Moorpark (NS)  ….CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES — Jessie Lin (72-medalist); Haruka Koda (73-second place); Paige Heuer (81); Fredeliza Lieberman (93); Delaney Young (100-scratch); Shabana Poswal (NS).

North-South Invitational — Sept. 23, 2019 — FINAL SCORES
TEAM SCORES — 1. Canyons (636-319/317) 2. Desert (662-338/324). 3. Reedley (665-329/336) 4. Saddleback (666-326/340) 5. Modesto (671-337/334) 6. Sierra (678-332/346) 7. SBCC (688-345/343) 8. Mt. SAC (688-351/337) 9. San Joaquin Delta (722-374/348) 10. Sacramento City (761-380/381) 11. Mt. JAC (781-395/386) 12. Bakersfield (924-457/467) 13. Citrus (948-475/473) 14. Moorpark (NS)  ….CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES — Haruka Koda (146-73/73-medalist); Jessie Lin (149-72/77-second place); Paige Heuer (160-81/79); Shabana Poswal (NS/88); Fredeliza Lieberman (183-93/90); Delaney Young (205-100/105-scratch).

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.