Battling hard in the season finale: No. 21 Briana Salvetti snuck a penalty shot past the Broncos’ goalkeeper to tie the game. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics
Saint Mary’s Women’s Soccer Draws 1–1 vs. Santa Clara to Close out the Season and Earn the No. 2 Spot in the West Coast Conference
SMC earns their first result against the Broncos since 2015. The Gaels finish just behind Pepperdine—and given their outstanding season, still have a shot at competing in the NCAA Tournament.
Saint Mary's closed out West Coast Conference play at home in Moraga with a 1–1 draw against the Santa Clara Broncos on Saturday afternoon. The Gaels entered the match still in contention for the WCC title, but with Pepperdine earning a 3–1 win over San Francisco, Saint Mary's finishes the regular season in second place. What shouldn’t be overlooked: Saint Mary's battled hard in their season finale, which was also Senior Day, earning their first result against Santa Clara since 2015.
Santa Clara struck first in the 59th minute, but Saint Mary's responded in the 76th when Briana Salvetti snuck a penalty shot past the goalkeeper to equalize. The goal marked the first time the Gaels have scored against the Broncos since the 2022 season and the first time they have avoided defeat in the matchup since 2015, when the game ended in a 0–0 double overtime draw.
Evening the Score
Both Saint Mary's and Santa Clara took three shots within the first 45 minutes of action. One of the best opportunities for the Gaels came from Savannah Schwarze, who fired a shot just outside the 18 yard box. Sydney Middaugh nearly converted on the rebound, but the Broncos' goalkeeper made the save to keep the match level.
Following the halftime break, Santa Clara capitalized on a counterattack in the 59th minute, with Mailin Orozco landing a shot to take the lead. In the 78th minute, a second yellow card was issued to Broncos defender Raygen Lewis after she fouled the Gaels’ Zoe Maikai inside the box, awarding Saint Mary's a penalty kick. Briana Salvetti calmly stepped up and placed her shot low to the left, sneaking it past the goalkeeper and evening the score 1–1.
The Gaels continued to push for the game winner in the final minutes with the Broncos down a player, outshooting Santa Clara 10–2, but were unable to break through. Full game efforts came from Amari Hicks, Molly Silva, Savannah Schwarze, Madison Casado, Sydney Middaugh, Maddie Lucas, and Aleiyah Schexnayder, who helped guide the team on both ends of the field.
Looking Ahead: Saint Mary’s in Contention for a NCAA Tournament Spot
With a strong finish to the regular season, Saint Mary's remains in contention for a NCAA Tournament spot. If selected, Saint Mary’s would make their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2001.
The Gaels achieved a 7–1–3 record in WCC play and an overall record of 12–2–4—their best season in many years. One big contributor in Saint Mary’s success this season: A dozen shutouts by Gaels goalkeeper Kate Plachy—impressive enough to earn her distinction in regular season play as the No. 3 player in the nation when it comes to shutouts.
The Gaels await news of their postseason fate on Monday at 1 p.m. Pacific, when the NCAA Selection Show takes place. Stay updated on the Selection Show here.
