Girls soccer: Marin Catholic uses set-piece superiority, advances to semifinals

The Marin Catholic girls soccer team sent a warning to any other teams that face them during the remainder of the postseason – concede free kicks around the 18-yard box at your own peril.

MC had two good looks on free kicks just outside the box and cashed in on both for a 2-0 North Coast Section Division III quarterfinal victory at home against Archie Williams on Friday.

The win sends the top-seeded Wildcats (7-7-5) past No. 8 Archie Williams (8-10-2) and into the D-III semifinals. MC is set to host either No. 4 Alhambra or No. 5 Sonoma Valley at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Siena White scored in the 26th minute on a free kick awarded centrally about 20 yards from goal. Nora Snearly took one from the right sideline in the 39th minute, looping it high toward the back post and bending it in for a two-goal cushion going into the half.

“They put in the time,” MC coach Elizabeth Snearly said. “They’re the players that stay and work on it at practice. They just placed it. It wasn’t just a shot, they placed it and were able to find that gap.”

White, who had already created the game’s best chance during the run of play by blasting a shot off the crossbar in the 19th minute, had plenty of time to line up her free-kick attempt in the 26th minute.

White scores on a free kick from 20 out. 1-0 MC. #marinsoccer pic.twitter.com/3BzsOSFKUK

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) February 20, 2026

“I tried to be really calm when I was setting it up because I knew where I wanted to go – left, top corner,” White said. “The goalie set up her wall pretty well and she was on the right side of that so I knew I had to bend it and curve it left so I was just focused on hitting the left side of the ball to put that spin on it.”

White, a Georgetown University commit who typically spends most of her time at center back but moves anywhere up and down the spine for MC as needed, was camped out as an attacker for most of the game.

“For a long time it was such a comfort to have (White) in our back line but throughout the season we’ve allowed her to go forward,” Elizabeth Snearly said. “She has such a composure and she’s so creative and has so much quality in her passing – creating options for her teammates or even just taking the shot. She really just elevates our play wherever we put her so we try to use her the best way and give her that space.”

Nora Snearly’s free kick came from further away from goal, and from a pretty tough angle, but she also had a plan as she assessed her options before taking the kick.

“I just wanted to get it on frame and go back post most of the time because we’ve got Siena and (Savannah Browne) back there,” Nora Snearly said. “That was my mindset – just hit it back post – but then it curled beautifully into the back of the net.”

Snearly bends in a free kick in the 39th. 2-0 MC. #marinsoccer pic.twitter.com/HPJWGboVge

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) February 21, 2026

MC had a solid opportunity to make it 3-0 early in the second half but Elsa Hunt came up with a key block for Archie Williams in front of a partially open goal.

Archie Williams’ best chance to climb back into the game came in the 64th minute when Anya Penwarden got free down the right side of the field and sent a dangerous cross into the box toward Riley Wilhelm. The shot went just wide and MC maintained its two-goal cushion.

“At halftime we really solidified our mindset that we were gonna play more defensively in the second half so that encouraged us to go out there with even more energy,” White said. “As soon as we got those two goals we felt pretty good but we knew 2-0 is always a score that’s kind of iffy. We just kept that mindset strong in the second half.”

Branson 8, San Rafael 2

The Bulls came alive with seven goals in the second half after the Bulldogs made it to the break with a 2-1 lead. Ava Grevelding had a natural hat trick, scoring in the 42nd, 51st, and 64th minutes to lead the comeback for Branson (22-1-2) in the NCS D-II quarterfinals on Friday.

The No. 1 Bulls, who await the winner between No. 4 Sonoma Academy and No. 5 Piedmont in Tuesday’s semifinals, also got second-half goals from Giselle Hernandez, Julia Myerberg, Kara Kandakulam, and Tara Penczak.

Luna Diaz scored on a penalty kick to hand the Bulls a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. Ryder Higgins Jones equalized for San Rafael (13-3-9) in the 17th minute off an assist by Jaela Brown. The Bulldogs then surged in front in the 22nd minute when Joselin Romero scored off an assist by Higgins Jones.

The loss ends a stellar campaign for the No. 9 Bulldogs that saw them end a lengthy MCAL postseason drought and win a league playoff game. Two of San Rafael’s three losses this season came at the hands of MCAL champion Branson.

Marin Academy 3, Heritage 1

Tatum Colpitts scored twice in the second half to lift the Wildcats to a victory against Heritage (12-4-3) in the NCS D-II quarterfinals on Friday. Reese Goodenough provided the assists on both of Colpitts’ goals as MA took control after going into the half tied at 1-1.

No. 2 MA (16-2-2) is set to host a semifinal at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday against league-rival University. The No. 6 Red Devils (13-7-2) were 5-3 upset winners against No. 3 Urban (13-4-1) on Friday.

MA battled University to a scoreless tie in the first meeting of the season on Jan. 14 then won the second game 3-1 on Jan. 27.

Livermore 3, San Marin 3 (4-3 on PKs)

The No. 6-seeded Cowboys got the better of the No. 3 Mustangs (10-6-5) on penalty kicks in the D-III quarterfinals on Friday night.

Tatum D’Angelica scored San Marin’s first goal then provided assists for Samantha Rodas and Gianna Grasso as the Mustangs took a 3-1 lead into the half. Natalie Banton provided the assist on D’Angelica’s goal.