The Clovis West Girls Water polo advanced through the first round of the CIF state playoffs on Tuesday night. The Golden Eagles (4) defeated St. Francis High School (5) 13-6 at Clovis West.
Sydney Gish scored six goals and Julianne Snyder scored five goals on the night. Snyder and Gish combined for five goals in the final period which helped ice the game for the Golden Eagles, who now advance to play the winner of Soquel (1) and Clovis East (8) on Nov. 21.
Jillian Duwe and Carline Radke both added one goal in the first half of the game.
St. Francis’ low total of six goals is hardly due to a lack of shots on the goal, though. Multiple shots either bounced off the posts or were either caught or misdirected to the posts by Golden Eagles goalkeeper, Belicia Machicote.
A handful of St. Francis’ shots even bounced off the crossbar and landed with the ball floating inches away from the goal before Machicote scooped the ball up.
The two teams went to the half with the Golden Eagles holding on to just a one-point lead but after Clovis West held St. Francis to a scoreless third period, a gap soon opened up. Gish and Snyder each had third period goals and the.
Bella Vierra was St. Francis’ top scorer with three goals. Three other St. Francis players scored one goal apiece.
This win for Clovis West was a needed rebound after their loss at home to Clovis High in the CIF Central Section championship game. It still remains possible for Clovis West and Clovis High to meet in the NorCal Regional final.