SAN JOSE - Senior midfielder Emma Blackburn scored midway through each half to lead St. Francis to a 2-0 win over Leigh in the CCS Division 1 semifinals Tuesday afternoon at Valley Christian High School.
With the victory, the 10th seeded Lancers (12-8-3) advanced to the championship match Saturday against top-seeded Woodside, a 3-1 winner over Los Gatos. The champion of Division 1 will advance to the first-ever NorCal playoffs.
Blackburn opened the scoring in the 19th minute when she received a ball on the left wing, cut inside and launched a shot from outside the penalty area that deflected in off Leigh goalkeeper Kyana Elder.
With Leigh pressing forward late in the second half, the Lancers effectively put the match away on a well-worked counterattack. The ball was played into the midfield to sophomore Catherine Paulson, who laid the ball off to the right to senior Michaela Boyd, who then played a sharp cross-field through ball. Blackburn latched onto the ball, got behind the Leigh defense and scored to make it 2-0 in the 67th minute.
The Lancers appeared to be in trouble midway through the second half while nursing a 1-0 lead as the Longhorns had the best stretch of the match and St. Francis lost its starting goalkeeper. Leigh senior Britney Cooksey took a shot from the right side that was saved by goalkeeper Tierney White, who had to leave the game with an injury on the play. But backup goalkeeper Carla Cornillo dealt with the ensuing corner kick and maintained the clean sheet for the Lancers.
The St. Francis defense was strong all afternoon as Leigh managed just three attempts on goal. Leigh's best chance came in the 34th minute on a shot by senior Ashley Wallace that skimmed off the crossbar.
