EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – Junior goalkeeper Sophia Santsche-Chavez posted a career-high 24 saves to go with three assists and three steals, but St. Francis varsity shot just 2-for-11 in the first half en route to an 11-6 loss to Oak Ridge in the team's 2023 season opener Tuesday night.
The Troubadours open their season at 0-1. However, the SF junior varsity picked up its first win of the year in the nightcap, with Frannie Wells and Sara Ellis scoring five and four goals, respectively, in a 9-5 victory over the Trojans.
Junior Abigail Benavidez led the varsity with two goals, while Havana Sperber, Piper Brostrom, Miranda Ferguson and Reese Hughes netted one apiece. Both of Benavidez' tallies came in the third quarter, following a 4-2 halftime deficit. But Hughes' goal in the fourth was the only successful shot of 10 attempts.
Sperber, Brostrom and Lydia Vlahos each assisted a goal, with Vlahos leading all Troubies with four steals.
In the JV game, St. Francis never trailed, taking a 3-1 lead in the first quarter and a 5-3 edge at halftime before holding its host to a single score after the break. Jayel Miller notched five saves against the five goals.
Tuesday's action also begins a new era of the SF program under first-year head varsity coach Gaby Hawkins. Both the varsity and JV water polo teams head to St. Mary's as part of a quadrupleheader with Jesuit on Thursday. The jayvees play at 4 p.m. with varsity following at 6 p.m.
