Warrior sticksters reach CIF semifinals; lose to Torrey Pines

Fallbrook High School’s field hockey team reached the semifinals of the CIF Division I playoffs before a 2-1 loss to Torrey Pines ended the Warriors’ season.

“It was back and forth,” Fallbrook coach Kathy Waite said of the game. “Torrey Pines really stepped it up the second half. We played a great first half.”

Fallbrook scored the first goal of the game against Torrey Pines on a first-half Christine Russell shot. Lydia Brambila supplied the ball to Russell. The Falcons tied the game later in the first half and scored the winning goal in the second half.

“We didn’t answer, but we played great. I was so proud of the girls,” Waite said.

Fallbrook had earned the fourth seed in the Division I playoffs and received a first-round bye before a 3-0 quarterfinal win over

La Costa Canyon in a November 17 home match.

“The girls played wonderfully,” Waite said of the season.

The Torrey Pines win over Fallbrook in the semifinals pitted the Falcons against San Pasqual in the CIF finals. Torrey Pines and San Pasqual were the only two Avocado League teams to finish ahead of Fallbrook in the league standings. The Warriors posted a 6-4 record in league play and a 14-10-1 overall record including the playoff matches.

“They really stepped up and pushed themselves to improve and do well,” Waite said. “I’m just very pleased with the way the girls have pushed themselves and been so competitive. It’s been great.”

The semifinal loss closed out the high school field hockey careers of Fallbrook seniors Brambila, Lizzy Eskue, Patti Gonzalez, Jessica Menard, Tatiana Prestininzi, and Hannah Smith.

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