It was a Hollywood ending for the San Francisco State University women’s soccer season.
On Senior Day where Liz Borders, Christina Holguin, Bianca Lowe, Vanessa Penuna, Sierra Sagasta and Laura Shea were honored for their time as student-athletes at SF State. The seniors and the rest of the squad were able to capture their 10th win over the Sonoma State University Seawolves.
“This team has been amazing I wouldn’t want Senior Day to be any other way with all our families and friends out here,” Lowe said. “It was a perfect way to end it with Laura Shea she has been here for all four years and for her to finish with that final goal it’s just amazing.”
The game announcer started counting down for the last time of the season on Saturday, Oct. 28.
10, nine, eight…
Lowe has the ball on the left side of the field turns towards the Seawolves goalkeeper box and crosses it in.
Seven, six, five, four…
Shea leaps into the air and heads it past the goalkeeper as the crowd jumped out of their seats to celebrate one of her goals for the last time.
Three, two, one, zero.
The Gators managed to beat the 19-ranked Seawolves, with the seniors finishing strong their collegiate careers.
Sonoma State was able to dominate most of the match and managed to outshoot SF State 26-15, but Holguin was the wall causing the Seawolves to go home scoreless.
Holguin put a season high of 15 saves and finishing her SF State career with six shutouts, 71 saves and averaged a 0.922 shot saved percentage.
“This year she really came into her own as a senior, she has kept us in games she has been fantastic,” SF State assistant coach Val Henderson said. “[Holguin] has taken every coaching point to work on herself to become a force field for us back there [at goalkeeper] and I’m really proud of her.”
The Oct. 28, match had it all, from Holguin’s penalty shot save keeping the Gators leveled at 0-0 to several Gators tearing up after the match.
“This is probably the best season I have ever played,” Penuna said, ending her season with three goals and six assists
As for head coach Tracy Hamm, she finished her third season at SF State with an overall record of 10-5-3, making it her third winning season in a row.
“Incredible performance from our seniors… it was incredible to have a senior goalkeeper have a penalty kick save and then have another senior create a great service into another senior for a header goal,” Hamm said. “I mean you couldn’t have scripted it any better just a really fantastic way to end the season and I’m really happy to go out with an incredible win.”
