WSOC | Gaels Take Down USF 3-0, Extend Home Unbeaten Streak to 20 Matches

Friday, October 2

Moraga, CA

4:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

7-1-4, 1-1-0

San Francisco

3-5-1, 0-2-0

Team	1	2	Final F
San Francisco	0	0	0
Saint Mary's (CA)	2	1	3

WSOC | Gaels Take Down USF 3-0, Extend Home Unbeaten Streak to 20 Matches

10/2/2026 8:28:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score WSOC | Saint Mary's vs USF Highlights, 10-2-26

MORAGA, Calif. - In its return to Moraga, the Saint Mary's women's soccer team took down the San Francisco Dons 3-0 to extend their home unbeaten streak to 20 matches while picking up their first West Coast Conference victory of the season. A first collegiate goal for freshman Elizabeth Vega, as well as a player of the match performance from senior Brittany Holden, capped a successful conference home opener for the Gaels in a highly anticipated match.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Gaels quickly put the pressure on the Dons defense, recording five shots in the first ten minutes while holding USF to just four shots in the entire first half. In the 27th minute, the Gaels countered off a turnover and a slick feed from freshman Brianna Jurasek found Brittany Holden near the top of the 18. Holden then laid the ball first time to freshman Elizabeth Vega who fired a right-footed shot into the bottom corner for her first collegiate goal. Just 44 seconds later in the 28th minute, a long ball from midfielder Natalie Mejia found forward Ashlyn Vaughn, who maneuvered her way past one defender to slot the ball in the bottom right corner and give the Gaels an early two-goal lead.

The Gaels continued to dominate possession and finished the half with a season-high 13 shots over the first 45, highlighted by Brianna Jurasek's five first-half shots. Jurasek, along with fellow freshman and goalscorer Elizabeth Vega, both made their first career starts in the match and displayed just how much talent this Gael freshman class has. In the 62nd minute, a mistake from a Don defender would put Holden in on goal. The senior forward dribbled past the keeper and slotted home her first goal of the season, giving the Gaels a three-goal cushion. Holden not only scored her first goal of the season, but also her second career goal, with her first coming against the Dons in 2024 with the game-winning goal in a 2-0 victory in Moraga.

As we've become accustomed to here in Moraga, Kate Plachy was brilliant in goal once again, including a save in the 67th minute that kept the home shutout streak alive for the Gaels in the 2026 season. Plachy and the Gaels would continue to dominate possession, recording 19 shots in the match and picking up their ninth shutout of the season, one of two teams in the country to hit that mark.

GAME NOTES

With today's victory, the Gaels secured their 20th consecutive match unbeaten at Saint Mary's Stadium, extending their program record.
The Gaels also picked up their ninth shutout of the season, joining Auburn as the only team in the country with nine shutouts.
Freshman Elizabeth Vega scored her first collegiate goal in her first collegiate start, becoming the third Gael freshman to record a goal this season.
Senior Brittany Holden picked up her first goal of the season and second of her career, with her last goal coming against the Dons in 2024 as the game-winner in Moraga.
Freshman Brianna Jurasek made her first collegiate start, logging an assist and tying Savannah Schwarze for the team lead at three.
Three of the four Gael defenders played the full 90 minutes in the match, including a ninth consecutive 90-minute for graduate student Anna Emperador.
Kate Plachy logged her fifth shutout of the season, while recording six saves and bringing her career total to 151 saves, eighth all-time among Gael goalkeepers.
Junior defender Taylor Farnum played 88 minutes in the match as a member of the backline, a career-high in a single match for the third-year Gael.

LOOKING AHEAD

Saint Mary's returns to Moraga this Wednesday, October 7, as they take on the LMU Lions at 4 p.m. The Gaels will then head to Portland to take on the Pilots on Saturday, October 10 at 6 p.m in week three of WCC action. Both matches can be streamed live on ESPN+, with tickets for Wednesday's match available for purchase HERE or at smcgaels.com/tickets.

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