SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior Jada Dwyre contributed in goals by Marissa Ow, Miley Blough and Sara Ellis as St. Francis prevailed against Whitney, 3-1, in the varsity segment of a Sierra Foothill League girls' soccer tripleheader at Cristo Rey's Adamson Family Sports Complex Thursday night.
The Troubadours improve to 10-5-4 for the season, with a 4-5-2 league record. The Wildcats slip to 2-15-1 overall and remain winless in SFL play at 0-11.
Oddly, Whitney took an immediate lead, with junior forward Isa Hernandez going straight to the house just 45 seconds after the opening center pass. That edge lasted until the 30th minute, or 10:35 on the game clock, when Dwyre's long throw-in from the left sideline slipped through the Wildcat goalkeeper's gloves and landed right in front of Ow for the easy tap-in.
Then in the first minute of the second half, Dwyre struck again, this time with her feet: she sprinted to the low right corner, then passed back to Blough in the box. The Troubies continued to pound away in their attacking end, although without adding to the score. Sophomore Lacey Harmon had the closest call when her long free kick nearly found its way into the cage but for a leaping save by the Whitney keeper.
Harmon and defender Sarah Bashore also blocked shots on the opposite end to preserve the one-goal lead. Finally, St. Francis tacked on an insurance goal with 2:50 remaining in regulation. After Whitney cleared a ball over the fence, Dwyre handled the throw-in. She lofted the ball into the goal box toward Blough and Ellis, the latter of whom knocked the ball back toward the top of the 18 to Harmon. Harmon flicked the ball back to Ellis, who headed it home for her first goal of the season.
Dwyre now has eight assists for the year, trailing Blough by one for the season team lead.
Thursday's set began with a 1-1 draw for St. Francis' JV Gold squad, which continues its undefeated season with a 15-0-3 record.The Troubies chased the game for almost 60 minutes, having surrendered a Ashley Hollis score in the 11th minute – one of just five Wildcat shots for the game and one of only two in the first half.
St. Francis fired 29 total shots, including a flurry of four attempts in the 57th. Eventually, a took another onslaught of shots in the 70th minute to erase the Whitney lead. Freshman Brynn Baker fired the first attempt, and Azaria Agbodike had a follow-up blocked. Agbodike later regained possession, and one-touch passed to Baker along the left side of the goal box. Baker split two defenders plus the keeper for the equalizer.
Baker previously appeared to have tied the game in the 51st, when Eliza Hurley sent her an accurate pass from above the box. However, that goal was disqualified due to a handball call.
Also highlighting JV Gold was junior Liv Vasques-Martin, who played goalkeeper for the first time due to the absence of usual netminders Gianna Flesoras and Guinevere O'Brien. Normally a midfielder, Vasques-Martin posted saves in the 36th and 60th minute, then came up huge in preserving the draw in the 78th. After Whitney's Elyse Sutton drew a foul about 25 yards out, sophomore Emerson Reedy handled the ensuing kick. Reedy put her serve on frame, but Vasques-Martinez came up with the stop, not only preventing the goal but holding on to halt the horde of four Wildcats who followed the kick into the six.
JV Red finished Thursday's action with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to the Wildcats. After getting outshot by a 9-2 margin in the first half, the Troubies took an initial 1-0 lead thanks to a successful corner kick in the 46th minute. Caroline Relles handled the set piece, with Paityn Lowery's getting an initial touch. That shot caromed out to a trailing Elizabeth McNearney and Sofia Tan at the six-yard line. McNearney flicked a shot high into the net for the game's first goal.
Unfortunately for Red, that celebration proved short-lived, with Julia Ralls tying the game a minute later. Ralls then hit the game-winner in the 61st on a deep shot from the right side.
St. Francis had several opportunities to add a second goal. In the 55th, Josie Quiniola made a masterful downfield scamper that ended with her shot catching enough of the left post to stay clear of the net. Quiniola later set up another chance by drawing a foul above the box, but McNearney's kick sailed inches high of the crossbar. Finally in the 74th, Ava Arnold sent a lob crosscage toward the upper left corner, but it narrowly missed the edge of the frame.
All three teams return to action on Tuesday for a Senior Night meeting with Del Oro. The eight 2025 graduates will be recognized prior to the 5:30 p.m. varsity matchup.
