Vista claims section soccer title over Colfax

Vista del Lago's last Sac-Joaquin Section girls soccer championship was in 2022. In 2023, when this year's senior class were freshmen, the team lost to Christian Brothers. Three years later as seniors, the group returned to the Division III section final and on Saturday earned a 3-1 victory over top-seeded Colfax at Cosumnes River College. It was a rewarding match and season for the Eagles (15-3-2), who fell behind the Falcons (21-2-2) three minutes into the game on a goal by Sonja Daves then scored three unanswered goals. The slow start shocked the Eagles, but after the first 10 minutes, the Eagles began to play their possession game to perfection, as they dominated the rest of the first half. The team utilized the width of the field and got plenty of crosses but didn't always get the best shot attempts on goal. Emily Harris had probably the team's best opportunity when she took a ball from Lindsey Fisher and previously from Kayla Abshire but lofted a shot high and wide from the goal. Moments later, about three minutes before halftime, Aubree Dunn put a free kick from about 25 yards out straight in the goal above the goalie's outstretched arms to tie the score 1-1. "I've had four or five goals all season and have been working on them because that's how we've been getting on the scoreboard in a lot of close games," Dunn said. "I'd been in a little bit of a slump, but this one, as soon as I kicked it, I knew it was going in. I felt it." Colfax came out fairly warm again to start the second half, and it wasn't long before the Eagles took over. With about 10 minutes to play, Dunn lofted a corner kick toward the goal and it landed on Taylor Peyrucain's head, and she directed it into the net for the go-ahead goal. "Me and Aubree have been trying to get one all year," Peyrucain explained. "The ball has gone over the net, it's gone to the side; so it's very satisfying that we finally got one in the section championship game. It's also cool that both of us are centerbacks and we got the first two goals." Added Dunn, "Taylor and I literally every single game say that we're going to score and we finally did it." Six minutes later, Isabelle Dincolo finished the Falcons with a strike from about 30 yards out, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead. "It was a very chaotic game," Peyrucain said. "We gave up a goal early, but we came back and after that we were pushing at them. Our team worked so hard and I'm so proud of everyone because we really took it to them. It was great to finally win a section championship after losing freshman year." Said Dunn, "We were rattled after they scored, but once we started to play our type of soccer, we dominated; after that, we won it." Vista coach Kennedy Chongo told his girls to enjoy the section championship because it doesn't happen every year. "The game did not start out the way I envisioned it by giving up a goal, but I wasn't too stressed about it," Chongo said. "I knew once we calmed down and controlled the game our possession style would give us chances to score. We got back into it by halftime and the second half it was anyone's game and we took it."