Houck Scores Four Goals in Win

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore Kendall Houck scored four goals and had seven steals to help the St. Francis water polo team to an 11-5 win over Woodcreek on Thursday.

“She played great,” said Head Coach Heather Moody. “Last year she struggled with the physicality against Woodcreek. This year she really took a deep breath and kept her composure. It really helped us throughput the game to get those four goals.”

Houck scored once in the first quarter, twice in the third and once in the fourth to help the effort. SF led 4-3 at the break but erupted with four goals in the third, including two by Houck and scores by Natalie Imboden and Malia Arnott. But the Wildcats kept it close closing to 6-5 with three goals of their own.

“It was really important for the group in the fourth quarter to leave a mark,” said Moody. “For us heading into the playoffs, we needed to establish our character as a team. That started to happen in the fourth quarter.”

The Troubadours scored three times in the decisive quarter with Libby Slater and Zoe Sloat joining Houck in the goal tally column. Kate Watley closed the game with a scoreless quarter.

Senior Kobe Carpenter led the team with four assists, while Caroline Wilkins and Sloat added a pair each.

St. Francis hosts Granite Bay on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. following the JV game at 7 p.m. TroubieTV is scheduled to show the varsity contest.

St. Francis 11, Woodcreek 5

SF – Houck 45, Slater 2, Arnott, Carpenter, Sloat, Jacobsen, imboden. W – Grantham, Sanders, Rutan, Nielson, Marshall.