SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior goalkeeper Sophia Santsche-Chavez posted 13 saves, including three on opposing counterattacks, helping St. Francis cling to a 4-3 win over Christian Brothers in the varsity opener of Thursday's "Holy Water" rivalry girls' water polo doubleheader at American River College.
The Troubadours improve to 11-5 for the season. The Falcons slip to 11-4 for the year. The meeting between Sacramento's major Catholic high school programs provided a break between their respective league seasons and the upcoming 46th Western States tournament in Modesto.
Senior Abigail Benavidez sent a long outlet to Miranda Ferguson for the game's first goal with 2:13 left in the first quarter, then turned an Addison Hutchcraft entry pass into a two-meter goal at the 2:25 mark in the second. Then Erin Maeng and Frannie Wells each scored perimeter shots in the fourth for the remaining offense.
Meanwhile, Santsche-Chavez largely kept CB off the board, particularly in the first half, during which she notched eight saves. The lone Falcon goal prior to halftime came immediately after Benavidez' goal in the second, when Lana Lukins sent a hook shot into the net at the 2:00 mark. SF also caught a break when Sidney Reyes drew a five-meter foul in transition, only to miss the cage on the ensuing penalty shot.
CB senior Anna Potter, who had three of her first-half shots halted by Santsche-Chavez, finally came up on the winning side of a counterattack about two minutes after the break, equalizing the contest at 2-2. The Troubie goalie later stuffed a two-meter attempt from Reyes in the final minute of the quarter to protect the tie.
St. Francis regained the lead at the 6:10 mark in the fourth. While deep in the four position and with Falcon goalkeeper Kadyn Carrozzo honoring the ball on the right side of cage, Maeng opted to heave a high arcing lob that sailed over the defense yet still found the far left corner of the frame – the fifth such goal for the former synchronized swimming standout.
Wells doubled the lead with her goal from the two spot of the course at the 4:39 mark, setting the board at 4-2. Santsche-Chavez continued to block shots from Potter, including one on a 6-on-5 opportunity. But Lukins did manage to get a shot by the Troubie senior with 1:31 left.
No further scoring took place from either team. Piper Brostrom's shot was field blocked, Miranda Ferguson stole a pass when Reyes opted to pass rather than shoot from set, then Brostrom dumped the ball with just 16 seconds remaining. CB had one last opportunity against the SF defense, culminating in yet another Santsche-Chavez save – this time against Lukins at the buzzer.
Benavidez, Brostrom and Hutchcraft each had two steals as part of that Troubie defensive effort.
The two junior varsity teams followed, with Christian Brothers pulling away to an 11-5 victory. Ava Jack scored a hat trick, including a fadeaway lob with 2:22 left in the fourth. Kendal Douglas scored on a power play of her own doing: she drew an exclusion at two meters, then exchanged passes with Savannah Hamilton for the 6-on-5 conversion with 1:09 left in the third.
Maya Wenceslao hit the remaining goal, also on a 6-on-5 chance midway through the second. She walked up the ball for a yard then buried a shot from the point with 3:37 left in the second. Wenceslao's goal brought the Troubies cut the Falcon lead to just 3-2, but CB freshman Lily Donlevy answered on the other end with a goal that SF goalie Sasha Michon first appeared to block. Instead, the ball rolled into the cage to start what eventually grew into a 7-1 Falcon run.
Michon finished with five saves plus she pounced on a ball for a two-meter steal late in the first.
St. Francis varsity heads to the Western States tournament, facing host Downey and Sierra for its Friday pool play. Then both teams resume SFL action at Granite Bay on Monday to kick off a 4 p.m. quadrupleheader.
