SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior attacker Yasmin Azar sent in a shot from almost 40 yards out with less than four minutes remaining on the game clock, erasing a scoreless tie and lifting St. Francis to a 1-0 win over Granite Bay in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II girls' soccer championship second-round matchup at Cristo Rey High's Adamson Family Sports Center.
The top-seeded Troubadours improve to 17-0-4 for the year, and advance to Friday's semifinal game against the winner of the Rio Americano-Whitney game in the opposite quarterfinal bracket. The ninth-seeded Grizzlies finish their season at 4-7-4 overall, having upset eighth-seeded Vacaville in Monday's first-round matchup.
Azar's goal came on her team's 20th of 21 total shots in the contest, and the eighth attempt on goal. She collected a pass from teammate Brooke Harmon, then found herself with a clear look at the GB cage from just beyond the lacrosse restraining line in front of her own bench. Azar sent her shot over the head of Grizzly goalkeeper Katie Smith and under the crossbar for the score.
Azar had fired five previous attempts during the game: two saved by Smith and three blocked by GB defenders. St. Francis also threatened on three set pieces earlier in the second half, as Elise Thomas and Jaycee DeFazio drew hard fouls within a 30-yard range of the goal. However, all three kicks miss high and wide of the mark, keeping the score at 0-0.
The Grizzlies managed six total shots for the game, including four in the first half. SF senior goalkeeper Isabella De La Cruz stopped three of the attempts before the break, while running out to steal an entry pass in the 35th, all to keep GB off the board. The Grizzlies had shots in the 61st and the extra time, both of which sailed high.
DeFazio had one of the best early chances to alter the scoreboard in the 25th. Azar's initial shot was halted by the GB backline, but the Cal Poly commit managed a second-chance shot moments later. DeFazio's shot whizzed through Smith but off the right post, and the GB keeper pounced on the loose ball before a Troubie putback was possible.
St. Francis seeks its 15th all-time Sac-Joaquin Section banner, and the second under head coach Maryclaire Robinson. Friday's semifinal game will take place at Cristo Rey at 4 p.m. Tickets are available only via the GoFan app and platform. UPDATE 8:31 P.M. Whitney defeated Rio Americano in penalty kicks. The Wildcats, winners of two of the last three section D-2 championships, improve to 11-5-8.
NOTE: The Sac-Joaquin Section announced the dates, times and location for the championship game on Wednesday afternoon. The Division-2 title contest takes place at 5 p.m. on February 22 at Cosumnes River College.
