Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
SANTA FE – Santa Fe High got a hat trick from senior defender Elsa Smith on Tuesday and posted a 5-1 victory over Clovis High in a Class 5A girls’ first-round state soccer match.
The Lady Demons (18-3-1), ranked sixth in 5A by MaxPreps but seeded fifth in the tournament, advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals where they dropped a 3-0 decision to fourth-seeded Eldorado (16-4).
Senior midfielder Aspen Ulibarri had the Lady Wildcats’ only tally, notching her team-leading 15th goal of the campaign.
The Lady Demons outshot Clovis 16-10 on goal, with senior Aja Gonzales making nine 11 saves for the Lady Cats (13-6-1). Senior Kaya Schlesinger-Hanson posted nine stops in goal for Santa Fe High.
Smith added an assist to her day’s work. Meantime, junior forward/midfielder Laila Carter and junior midfielder Nevaeh Romero each had a goal for the Lady Demons.
With Friday’s victory, Eldorado advanced to a Wednesday semifinal at top-seeded Rio Rancho Cleveland. The other semifinal pits second-seeded La Cueva against the winner of a Saturday match which sent sixth-seeded Volcano Vista to No. 3 Las Cruces High.
The championship match is slated for Saturday at the University of New Mexico soccer complex in Albuquerque.
