SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Yasmin Azar scored two goals, senior Jaycee DeFazio had three assists, while Sofia Ceballos and Sofia Rabinovitz each tallied their first varsity points, leading top-seeded St. Francis to an 8-0 shutout of 16th-seeded Mountain House in the first round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II girls' soccer championship tournament at Cristo Rey High's Adamson Family Sports Complex Monday night.
The Troubadours remain undefeated for the year at 16-0-4. The Mustangs finish their season at 11-6-1.
Rabinovitz, a varsity call-up who led the program's JV Gold squad with 19 goals, had two assists and a score in the second half. Ceballos also had a goal and assist after the break. DeFazio's total of five total points – one goal, three assists – represents her highest single-game total since she exploded for a 2-2-6 offensive chart at Davis in the 2022 regular-season finale.
Azar scored the contest's first goal in the third minute, thanks to an outlet from DeFazio; then completed her brace in the 51st, thanks to a through ball from Ceballos. In fact, DeFazio contributed on all four goals in the 4-0 first-half lead. She converted an assist from Elizabeth Barger in the 10th, then less than a minute later, she fired a shot on goal that MH senior Andrea Coronado gloved. Junior Mia Barsotti was standing by for the putback, earning DeFazio a second assist. Then in the 25th, it was Piper Sherburne's turn for the finish on a pass from the Cal Poly signee.
Rabinovitz had her first assist on a Micaela Romo corner kick in the 49th. The sophomore's header was blocked, but Romo swooped in from the corner flag for the second-chance score. Rabinovitz later set up Ceballos for St. Francis' seventh goal in the 54th before scoring one her own in the 67th: Barsotti advanced up the left sideline, then centered a perfect cross for the eighth and final goal.
Meanwhile, the Troubie defense did not allow a single Mustang shot.
Monday marked the second multi-goal game of the year for Azar, who had a hat trick against Cosumnes Oaks on January 16. This was Barsotti's fourth three-point game of the season, and her first since tallying a 1-1-3 in the January 6 road victory at Sheldon.
Finally, the playoff opener marked the sixth straight shutout for St. Francis, which has not surrendered a goal since its 3-1 home win over Pleasant Grove on January 20.
The Troubies will face the winner of the Vacaville-Granite Bay game, held Monday night. Fans should check back at GoTroubies.com for updates to the schedule. SF seeks its 15th all-time SJS banner.
UPDATE: St. Francis will host Granite Bay on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m... The No. 9-seeded Grizzlies shut out the Bulldogs by a 1-0 final on Monday night.
