Calafato's Hat Trick Lifts Knights to Victory on Sophomore Day

Sophomore Bianca Calafato turned in a great performance in her final game as a Knight as she recorded her second hat trick of the season and third of her career at City to help the Knights earn a 4-2 home victory over Grossmont in the last game of the year.

Due to multiple injuries, the Knights were down to only nine healthy players, but Grossmont agreed to play with nine as well in a shortened 70-minute game.

The Griffins struck first in the 21st minute when Aubrey Zerkley beat City goalkeeper Pokey McGee on a penalty kick after a foul in the box. 

Their lead did not last long as the Knights got the equalizer in the 26th minute on a goal from Christiana Macias, her sixth of the season. 

The game remained in a 1-1 tie until the 38th minute when Calafato put in her first goal of the day after getting past Grossmont's defense. 

Calafato gave the Knights a 3-1 lead in the 49th minute when she took a ball from Abril Mejia Ruiz and dribbled in from near midfield and beat Grossmont's keeper. 

Grossmont got one back in the 57th minute on a goal by Skylar Martinez, but Calafato put the game away with her third goal which came in similar fashion as the second. Mejia Ruiz found Calafato near midfield and she dribbled in behind the defense for an easy score.

Calafato ended the season with a team-best 12 goals and three assists in 14 games. 

San Diego City's only other sophomore, Karin Angel, played in every game except this last one because of an arm injury suffered in the previous game when she was filling in as goalkeeper.

Angel and Calafato were honored by coaches and teammates in a post-game ceremony.