SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore Monet Zauner scored in the sixth and 27th minutes while senior Miley Blough fired a shot through the goalkeeper's grip in the 23rd, leading St. Francis to a 3-0 win over Pioneer in a season-opening girls' prep soccer doubleheader at Cristo Rey High's Adamson Family Sports Complex Tuesday.

The Troubadours open their new season with a 1-0 record.

Zauner, who led St. Francis' JV Gold squad with 22 goals a year ago, put her team on the board by converting an assist from Evelyn McNearney from the left side. McNearney appeared to score a goal of her own in wake of a corner kick in the 15th, but the shot was disqualified due to offsides. Instead, it was Blough who scored next: the Nevada commit fired from approximately 25 yards out. The ball went through the Patriot keeper's hands and into the net, doubling the lead to 2-0.

Then with 13:15 left in the first half, Zauner completed her brace on a long counterattack to extend the SF advantage to 3-0. Impressively, the All-Sierra Foothill League flag football honoree played only in the first half yet managed the two scores.

Blough had several chances at multiple goals, even drawing a penalty kick in the 18th. However, the Pioneer goalkeeper halted the shot. A diving save also spoiled another Blough shot in the 31st, while a free kick just beyond the box in the 38th also resulted in a Patriot save.

Blough drew another foul early in the second, only to send her set piece into the Pioneer wall. St. Francis outshot its guest by a 14-2 margin in the second half, with sophomore goalkeeper Sofia Rabinovitz coming up with a save in the final minutes as part of her individual shutout.

The Troubies' JV Gold followed the varsity win with a 1-1 draw against the Patriots. Oddly, St. Francis did not yield a shot in the first half and held Pioneer without an attempt until a successful sideline run finished with a goal at the 21:14 mark in the second half, or 49th minute.

Mariko Palmeri nearly equalized in the 51st, but it took two more minutes when Brynn Baker's outlet pass found Anna George along the left side that the Troubies got on the board. St. Francis had 14 shots in the first half, with eight on goal; then added another 11 shots in the second half, with seven on frame. Baker's chance in the 59th minute resulted in the Pioneer keeper coming out of the game, but St. Francis still could not get a shot past the replacement netminder. Elizabeth McNearney, George and Baker each had shots that were stopped by the Patriot reliever.

St. Francis varsity and JV Gold return to action on Thursday at former Delta League rival Franklin. Gold starts at 4 p.m. with varsity following with a 6 p.m. start. The Wildcats, inspired by their visit to St. Francis one year prior, will host their own charity toy drive during the game. Fans from both schools are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy to support the effort.