SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Anna Gregg scored two goals to help St. Francis build a 5-2 advantage and the Troubadours survived a late rally to prevail 5-4 in the Sac-Joaquin Section second round game Thursday afternoon. The Troubadours advance to the semifinals to be held Wednesday, May 14.

“It was the most stressful game of my life,” said junior Anna Gregg, who had two goals and an assist. “They fought back and hard but so did we. We proved to have the better team today. It feels so good because this game coming in was very evenly matched.”

Enochs (17-2) shocked the Troubadours with a quick goal in the opening minutes to take a 1-0 lead, but the Troubadours scored just as quick back to tie the game at 1 on a goal by junior Layne Price.

“It was a huge downer to go down 1-0 but I knew we just needed to keep working hard and it paid off,” said senior defender Nina Madsen.

St. Francis (19-3-5) went ahead for good later in the first half when junior Trinity Connaughton scored. Gregg then scored the first of her two goals before the break and the Troubadours cruised into halftime with a 3-1 advantage.

“It is such a great feeling to contribute to your team,” said Connaughton, who recorded her fourth goal of the season. “It is so fun to play for a team that is so good and plays so well together.”

Junior Savannah Watson and Gregg each added goals in the second half and St. Francis led by three goals at one point 5-2. But the Eagles fought back with three goals in the second half, including back-to-back scores that cut the lead to 5-4.

“I can’t explain the terror, fear and anxiety that comes into you,” said Connaughton. “You want to win so bad so you keep pushing.”

Enochs had several more chances but the St. Francis defense held on and Mia Arostegui made a couple of key stops.

“It was too scary and I don’t want to do it again,” said senior Nina Madsen, who is from Granite Bay.

Carmel Stralen assisted on two goals in the contest, , while Connaughton and Hailey Barrett aldo notched assists.

Catie Brown settled down in goal after the early score and made four saves in the first half. Arostegui had five saves in the second half.

St. Francis advances to the section semifinals against No. 1 Granite Bay, a 4-3 winner over McClatchy after the teams played a scoreless regulation and overtime.

E – Galvan, Kiep, Moe, Viss. SF – Price, Connaughton, Gregg 2, Watson.