Nikolai Littleton scored in the 88th minute Friday afternoon to help No. 7 SBCC earn a 1-1 men’s soccer tie with No. 19 Hancock in the regular-season finale at Santa Maria.
The Vaqueros, ranked third in Southern Cal, are 15-2-3 and 10-1-3 in conference. Oxnard ended SBCC’s two-year reign as conference champs. The Condors (11-2-1), who lost to Canyons 2-0 on Friday, edged the Vaqueros in conference points, 34-33.
Santa Barbara went 6-1-2 in its last nine games and tied for the best defense in the state, allowing just 11 goals while scoring 48.
Hancock (12-7-2, 8-5-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 46th minute. Littleton looped the ball over the goalie for the equalizer in the 88th.
“It was a game we should have won,” said coach John Sisterson. “We created a lot of chances but couldn’t put it in the net. ChiJi (Chijioke Aronatu) had a great bicycle kick (with his back to the goal) that missed by inches in the second half.”
SBCC will get a home game in the opening round of the South Region playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 20.
