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Published on 03/01/1999 All articles from this issue

St. Francis girls net another CCS title

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By Pete Borello / Town Crier Staff Writer

Prep Soccer Playoffs

Semifinal results

Make that three in a row for the St. Francis High girls soccer team.

The Lancers captured their third consecutive Central Coast Section championship last Saturday with a 2-0 win over Gunn at PAL Stadium in San Jose.

St. Francis, the No. 2 seed in Division I, dominated No. 9 Gunn from start to finish. The Lancers out-shot the Titans 21-4 and kept the ball on Gunn's side of the field for most of the game.

"I had a feeling we were ready to play this game," said St. Francis junior Kati McBain, who assisted on both goals. "We've been working really hard and we expected to beat them again."

This marked the third time this season St. Francis (20-1-3) has defeated Gunn (15-7-1). The other two wins were also 2-0 games, both coming in SCVAL De Anza Division play.

"They're a very strong team," Gunn coach Orlando Cervantes said of St. Francis. "We knew we needed to play our best game and hope they would be a little off their game to win. Unfortunately, that didn't happen."

The Lancers first goal came in the 24th minute off McBain's corner kick, which Julie Mariani headed into the net.

"I crossed it to Julie and she had a great header - she finished it beautifully," McBain said. "The timing was just right."

St. Francis added to its lead in the 64th minute when McBain zipped a pass to a wide open Susan Clark, who drilled a shot past Gunn goalie Laura Lambert.

Despite moving an extra player up front, the Titans generated few scoring chances. The St. Francis defense, which didn't allow a goal during the playoffs, turned back every Gunn attempt.

"Our defense has been unstoppable all year," McBain said. "They're like a wall."

St. Francis faced a more daunting challenge in its Feb. 23 semifinal game at West Valley College, edging No. 6 Live Oak 1-0 in overtime.

The Lancers out-shot Live Oak (17-5-1) by a 21-1 margin in regulation, but failed to get on the scoreboard.

Livia Baldaccini changed all that in first minute of the second overtime period by drilling a shot from just inside the penalty box.

The goal was set up by Lisa Scigliano's corner kick, which Kristen Ringer headed and then passed to Baldaccini.

Gunn reached the championship round with a 3-1 semifinal win over No. 5 Homestead Feb. 24 at West Valley.

The Titans led 2-0 at halftime on goals by Tristan Ngoon and Julia Wagner.

The Mustangs (15-2-4) pulled within a goal in the opening minutes of the second half on a shot by Tiffany Colen.

Gunn answered back midway through the half, as Los Altos Hills resident Christina Morrison dropped a shot into the right corner of the net.

This marked the first time in five years that Homestead has qualified for the playoffs, and coach Frank Medina said he was proud of his team's performance.

"They played extremely well," the first-year coach said. "I asked them to leave it all on the field and they did."