MA breaks through for 1st NorCal championship

GIRLS SOCCER

Zola scores winner against tough Branson foe in all-Marin showdown

Marin Academy’s Danica Blix (15), Addison Winship (1) and Catherine “Cat” Zola (11) come off the field smiling while their teammates celebrate behind them after defeating Branson 1-0 in the NorCal Girls D-II title game at San Rafael High on Saturday. PHOTOS BY SHERRY LAVARS — MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

Audrey Spaly (5) of Branson moves in on Raya Leikin (8) of Marin Academy as Leikin moves the ball down the field during the NorCal Girls D-II title game at San Rafael High on Saturday.

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By Ian Ross

iross@marinij.com

The stat that the Marin Academy girls soccer team has played in every final it could play in for four consecutive years was already impressive coming into Saturday’s NorCal Division II title game against Branson.

The Wildcats finally claimed the coveted blue winner’s medal following a 1-0 victory over the Bulls at San Rafael High.

“It feels so good especially because we lost to (Branson) in our freshman year on (penalty kicks),” said MA’s Cat Zola, scorer of the game’s only goal. “It just feels so good. We’re the first MA team to ever win NorCals for the girls and it’s just such a good last game as a senior. MA has been a dominant team for so many years and it feels good to have something to finally show it.”

Branson (23-2-4) has been MA’s foil in two of those previous three NorCal finals and defeated the Wildcats again in last week’s North Coast Section D-III final. MA (16-4-3) had a lot of history to overcome to