ROSEVILLE, Calif. – Juniors Abigail Benavidez and Piper Brostrom each posted hat tricks in an 8-1 win over McClatchy while Sophia Santsche-Chavez posted 11 saves in 8-7 thriller against Del Oro in the morning, as St. Francis picked up a pair of wins on the second day of action of the Woodcreek Invitational Saturday.
Both of the Troubadours' Saturday contests were held at the West Park High site. They improve to 4-3 for the year.
Benavidez also had a hat trick, two assists and two steals in the opener against DO. The first of her goals came on a rare goalie exclusion late in the first half. Benavidez hit the 6-on-5 conversion, helping St. Francis hold a 4-2 edge at the break. The Troubies never trailed in the contest, and even took a lead as large as 7-4, when Lydia Vlahos assisted Havana Sperber on a perimeter goal two minutes into the fourth quarter. Still, the Golden Eagles continually pulled back to within a single goal.
DO's Maya Oshetski scored a goal on a resteal in front of the Troubie cage, then Jane Lubiens closed the gap to 7-6 with her goal at the 2:07 mark. Brostrom assisted Benavidez on a power play during the next SF trip down. The Golden Eagles gained back a goal thanks to yet another senior, Brooke Smaldone, with 0:03 left, but the Troubies easily expired the final ticks to protect the win.
St. Francis took a 2-0 lead in the first and a 5-0 edge at the break in Saturday's nightcap with McClatchy. Sperber and Benavidez each had steals to set up goals by Ashlyn Brock and Brostrom in the first, then Benavidez hit a penalty shot and a two-meter putback in the second.
CKM got on the board early in the third with Macey Glass' cross-cage shot, but Santsche-Chavez posted four saves after that point to keep any further Lions from eating into the SF lead. Brostrom scored back-to-back in the final two minutes of the third, then she assisted Benavidez for the only goal of the final frame. Vlahos also did her part to hold CKM scoreless down the stretch, thanks to her field block on a 6-on-5 attempt.
St. Francis returns to tournament action on Friday and Saturday at Granite Bay's Grizzly Classic.
