Girls soccer: San Marin takes big first step with win over Archie Williams

The San Marin High girls soccer team – with its returning stars and new coach – has generated a fair amount of buzz heading into the MCAL season.

The Mustangs came into Saturday’s league opener knowing that a win against Archie Williams – a perennial playoff team – would be a huge first step en route to ending their playoff drought.

San Marin forward Gianna Grasso delivered the game’s decisive moment, making a run to the 18-yard box, drawing a foul, then converting the ensuing penalty kick to give the Mustangs the start they needed with a 1-0 victory.

Grasso pk. San Marin 1-0 in 68th. #marinsoccer pic.twitter.com/YVOWkGUeKi

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) January 10, 2026

“Going into today we knew we were capable and we also knew this was a chance to prove ourselves,” San Marin center back and co-captain Julia MacDonald said. “League opener, our home field, this is a chance to prove ourselves that we’re in it this year and we’re a real team that can compete.”

Grasso’s goal came in the 68th minute after she beat a couple of defenders off the dribble and got just into the 18-yard box.

“I got the ball – I don’t remember who it was from – I was dribbling and I had my head up,” Grasso said. “I was scanning for Tatum (D’Angelica), looking, trying to find her up there. I got to the last defender and I was in the 18 and I guess she kind of stuck her foot out and it was a foul. I fell on my stomach, the wind knocked out of me and everything.”

Grasso stepped up to the penalty spot and, with potentially all three points at her feet, slotted her shot into the left side of the goal for a 1-0 lead.

“I thought today (Grasso) was our most dynamic player, for sure our most dynamic attacker,” said San Marin coach Isaiah Schwerin, who coached at Marin Catholic last season. “Took three players on, nice little body feint to get away from that defender. For me it was a clear (penalty) so I thought she had a fantastic performance, a real captain’s type performance today.”

San Marin (7-2-2, 1-0-0 MCAL) was projected to make the playoffs this season in a poll of the league’s coaches, but to actually accomplish that feat, the Mustangs need to vault two of the following three teams – Archie Williams, Terra Linda, and San Rafael.

“It’s pretty important,” sophomore goalie Brooke Hohman said after making her first varsity MCAL start. “It shows we can compete in the MCALs and that we have a strong team this year.”

Hohman played a key role in preserving the clean sheet, coming up with a crucial one-on-one save after Archie Williams’ Anya Penwarden got behind the back line in the 32nd minute. Hohman got a piece of Penwarden’s shot, taking enough pace off of it that San Marin defenders were able to recover and keep the ball out of the net.

Archie Williams also had a goal ruled out for offside in the 42nd minute.

D’Angelica fashioned two of San Marin’s best chances prior to scoring with a shot that hit the crossbar in the 30th minute and a free kick that grazed the side netting in the 44th.

“To have the vision to take that shot from that angle and be 6 inches away is pretty exciting,” Schwerin said of D’Angelica’s 30th-minute effort.

San Marin hit the bar again in the 66th minute on a corner kick taken by Maggie McCall. Two minutes later, Grasso provided the winner.

“It was really big for us because we view Archie as a playoff team,” Schwerin said. “We want to be a playoff team this year so really critical for us to start the new chapter of our program with an MCAL win.”

Around the county

• Julia Myerberg had a goal and an assist as Branson won its league opener 3-0 against San Rafael on Saturday. Giselle Hernandez had a pair of assists to Anya Sridharan and Myerberg, respectively, as the Bulls grabbed a 2-0 lead. Myerberg assisted Cat Howell to cap the scoring for the Bulls (10-1-1, 1-0-0), who handed the Bulldogs (8-1-4, 0-1-0) their first loss of the season.
• Five different players scored as Marin Catholic posted a 5-0 victory against Terra Linda (5-5-2, 0-1-0). Claire Hunnewell, Cat Haynor, Nora Snearly, Siena White, and Savannah Browne had goals for MC (2-3-2, 1-0-0). The Wildcats got two assists apiece from Brooklyn Blackman and Snearly.
• Caitlin Titcombe scored twice and Sydney  Middleton had three assists to lift Redwood to an 8-0 victory against Novato (1-5-1, 0-1-0). The Giants (4-3-2, 1-0-0) also got goals from Lily O’Shea, Addison Ryba, Teagan McCormick, Claire Grand, Eily Diener, and Roxie Monty. McCormick also had a pair of assists. Kaia Amir and Lauren Ellington also had assists.
• Tam had the MCAL bye and battled University to a 0-0 stalemate on Saturday. Tam (2-6-2) registered its third shutout in the past five games.