EL DORADO, Calif. – Senior utility Gauri Mathrakott scored a team-high five goals, including the game-winner with less than two minutes left in the extra frame, as St. Francis varsity defeated Ponderosa in overtime, 8-7, to kick off a girls' prep non-league water polo doubleheader at Union Mine High School Tuesday night.

The Troubies improve to 8-7 for the season.

Mathrakott, who also had three steals and an assist, scored a goal in the first quarter and two in the second to complete her hat trick. St. Francis held a 3-2 edge at the break. Abigail Benavidez and LK Holliday each netted goals in the fourth to force overtime, before Benavidez and Mathrakott found the back of the net in the OT period.

Impressively, the Troubies prevailed despite the absence of their starting goalie, Sophia Santsche-Chavez. Instead, reserve Reese Hughes donned the red goalie cap for three quarters, then senior center Ava Stimson took over for the fourth and overtime.

St. Francis struggled with shooting early on, connecting on just 3-for-11 in the first half, and 1-for-7 in the third quarter. However, the defense totaled 16 steals – including the three from Mathrakott, three from Piper Brostrom and four by Holliday – to maximize scoring opportunities and limit chances for the Bruins.

The Troubie junior varsity dropped the doubleheader nightcap, falling 10-6 to Pondo. 

Tuesday's doubleheader was a relatively late addition to the 2022 schedule. The game was originally set for October 18, but neither team was able to host until a sudden cancellation allowed the Bruins to host the Troubies through their Union Mine neighbors.

St. Francis varsity heads to Napa for the Julian Szmidt Memorial Touranment on Friday, taking on Granite Bay and Dixon at 8 a.m. and 2:25 p.m., respectively. Saturday's draw will depend on the outcome of Friday's pool play. The event is named in memory of an alumnus of Napa High ('69) and UC Davis ('73), who coached water polo and swimming for more than four decades before his passing in 2011. The tourney consists of six three-team pools, with the likes of Clovis East, St. Mary's, Las Lomas, Rodriguez and McClatchy also leading their respective groups.

The Troubie JV will conclude its season on Tuesday at 5 p.m. against Davis for the Delta League finale. This is a doubleheader with Jesuit held at Arroyo Pool. The varsity will then take part in a twinbill at UC Davis' Schaal Aquatics Center at 8 p.m. 

NOTE: Parking is enforced on the UC Davis campus until 10 p.m. Visitor Parking Lot 56, adjacent to Schaal and UC Davis Health Stadium, offers hourly parking through a kiosk at that lot. This allows visitors to park for shorter durations, as opposed to the daily rate offered through the ParkMobile app. More information is available at https://taps.ucdavis.edu/news/purchase-hourly-parking-through-kiosks.