Girls soccer: Marin Catholic captures section title on Olympico goal

Ava Korich provided a moment of magic and – like it has been all tournament – one goal proved to be all the Marin Catholic girls soccer team would need.

Korich scored on an Olympico, bending her corner kick directly into the goal, and MC’s back line strung together its fourth consecutive clean sheet in a 1-0 home victory against Analy in the North Coast Section Division III championship game on Saturday night.

“It’s always just a rush of adrenaline,” Korich said of winning a postseason title. “Everyone is super happy. We worked so hard for this and our work paid off.”

The victory sends the top-seeded Wildcats (9-7-5) back into the NorCal playoffs. MC has enjoyed some recent success in that competition, winning the D-IV title in 2024. Korich was one of a handful of current players who were key contributors on that team as well, a list that also includes defenders Savannah Browne and Lexi Ferguson, plus midfielder Kate Batdorf, and Lana Wihlborg.

Korich, who scored in that NorCal title win two years ago, did the honors again Saturday against No. 2 Analy (9-10-1).

Korich took MC’s first corner kick of the game in the 18th minute, curling it directly into the far side netting to score the game’s only goal.

Korich Olympicooooo. 1-0 MC. #marinsoccer pic.twitter.com/mtvTdYvLpI

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) March 1, 2026

“I was just trying to get it in to someone on the team that can touch it and just score right off the corner,” Korich said. “I was so shocked when it actually went in. I’m so happy I could score and get the first goal of the game and set the tone.”

MC’s Siena White, who was making a run to the back post on the corner, had one of the better views of Korich’s strike while it was in the air.

“I was running back post and I was ready for the header but it just kept curling and as soon as it was heading back post I was like ‘Oh, it’s going in’ and I just watched it curl back post,” White said. “It was pretty special.”

MC continued to pile on the pressure, keeping the ball in Analy’s half of the field through the first half. The Wildcats created a string of quality chances but were unable to put another ball past Analy’s Aubrey Humphreys – a field player who was starting in goal with Analy’s starting keeper missing the game due to a suspension.

Perhaps MC’s best look at a two-goal lead came in the 28th minute on a shot by Caitlin Haynor. Humphreys went low to her left to keep the ball from crossing the goal line but couldn’t corral it right away. With MC attackers swarming, Humphreys managed to recover the loose ball in time and end the threat.

“(Humphreys) really didn’t make too many errors that we could capitalize on and we tested it,” MC coach Elizabeth Snearly said. “We took shots and even put pressure on the balls at her feet so really she did a great job.”

MC tested Humphreys a few more times in the second half – a long free kick taken by Nora Snearly in the 48th minute, a shot from range by White in the 62nd, and another chance in the 75th when White played a ball to the end line for Korich, who sent in a dangerous cross. Humphreys didn’t snag the ball cleanly but again recovered in time before MC could pounce on the rebound.

The 75th-minute cross proved to be the last real chance of the game for either side as MC’s defense not only collected its fourth clean sheet but did so again without surrendering any real genuine scoring chance for the other team.

“It’s led by Savannah Browne and Lexi Ferguson, our seniors in that back line,” Elizabeth Snearly said. “They’re playing incredibly well. They organize our defense and they play with the urgency that we want to play with so they just set the standard for us in that back line. It’s been awesome.”

Analy’s best look at goal came in the 56th minute when the Tigers sent a cross into the box toward Giselle White for a header in a dangerous area. The ball popped up in the air a bit and MC goalie Julianna Sokolov was able to collect it. Giselle White came out of the game with an injury on the play.

“I’m just really proud of how Sav and Siena command that back line,” Nora Snearly said. “They’re the center backs. Everyone listens to them. I admire them so much and Julianna obviously is a huge part of that. She’s a freshman but she’s playing like she’s had multiple years of experience and I think throughout the year she’s grown as a player. It’s helped our team so much.”

The victory secured the first NCS title for the program since girls soccer was a spring sport. MC made it to the NCS D-IV title game prior to winning the NorCal D-IV title in 2024, falling to University 1-0.

MC’s last section title in girls soccer came back in 2013 with a loaded team that went 23-2-1 and featured a slew of all-MCAL first-team selections in Stephanie Martini, Alexis Tye, Alyssa Devine, Camille Wilson, and Claire Renk.