SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Jada Dwyre scored a goal and drew the foul for a successful penalty kick to lead St. Francis to a 3-0 win over Elk Grove in the varsity opener, then freshman Lily Hall scored a brace to lead JV Gold to an 8-0 shutout in the nightcap of a Delta League girls' soccer doubleheader at Cristo Rey's Adamson Family Sports Complex Friday night.
The Troubadours improve to 16-3-3 for the season, and 9-1-1 in league play.
Friday's action also served as the regular-season home finale for St. Francis, which honored its seniors prior the varsity game: Tacori Abril, Yasmin Azar, Elizabeth Barger, Mia Barsotti, Maggie Buffleben, Angelina Delaini, Sophia Fahey, Caitlin Hafenstein, Brooke Harmon, Giada Pagano, Summer Silvestri, varsity team manager Jianna Reyes and JV Red manager Alyssa Cheah.
Despite the pregame festivities, or perhaps because of them, the Troubies had a relatively slow start to the game, failing to find the back of the net until the extra minute of the first half. Barger broke up the scoreless tie when she split two Thundering Herd defenders, found an open spot just above the penalty arc, then fired a shot past goalkeeper Tessa Limoges.
In fact, Elk Grove managed the first shot of the game, as Emma Wilson launched a shot that sailed above SF keeper Buffleben and the crossbar.
The Troubies found their stride in the second half, piling up two more goals in the first 11 minutes after the break. Dwyre collected the ball along the left edge of the penalty box, then buried a shot cross-cage into the right side of the frame in the 42nd. Then in the 51st, Dwyre drew a foul on a counterattack, just inside the 18. Azar went to the spot for the kick, and converted her team-leading 14th goal of the season.
SF continued to threaten for the entirety of the second half, but credit Limoges, who had five of her staggering 14 saves in the final seven minutes of the game. Delaini, who relieved Buffleben for the second half, posted three saves of her own, including back-to-back stops in the 66th.
In contrast to the Troubie varsity's strong finish, JV Gold spread its goals out relatively evenly in the nightcap. Hall scored her goals in the 25th and 73rd, while Angelina Chavez (12'), Momini Niazi (27'), Madeline Squaglia (34'), Norah White (49'), Holland Sperber (50') and Mia Nelson (80') each chipped in one.
All three St. Francis teams – varsity, JV Gold and JV Red – finish their regular seasons at Davis on Monday. The Blue Devils sneaked past Pleasant Grove on Friday, continuing the logjam atop the Delta League standings. The Troubies now have 28 points (nine wins, one tie) while the Blue Devils enter Monday's matchup with 26 (8-1-2). Franklin either has 24, 25 or 27, depending on its result with Cosumnes Oaks on Friday.
Monday's games take place at 3:30 (JV Gold), 5:30 (varsity) and 7:30 (JV Red). Oddly, Davis also hosts the St. Francis JV Gold (5:00) and varsity (6:30) in basketball on that same night, meaning fans can potentially see the conclusions of two close league races in one location.
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