Sobrato had chances to extend its CCS playoff run, but Castilleja put an end to the girls water polo season thanks to three goals in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs fell 7-6 after holding a 6-4 lead after three quarters.
The No. 3 seeded Castilleja netted three goals in the final period and fought off a comeback effort by Sobrato that nearly sent the match into overtime.
“It was a tough one,” said Dave Burnett after the game. “They played great. They played great all season.”
Sobrato came out swinging Saturday, scoring twice in the first quarter with goals from Lana Burnett off a turnover and Kristin Hill on a man advantage.
Maya Read made it 3-0 in the second off a penalty shot before Castilleja mounted a comeback.
The Gators scored three times, twice on power plays.
Steph Flamen scored first on a man advantage and again later in the period by capitalizing on a Sobrato turnover.
Anna Yu scored Castilleja’s second goal on a power play.
Sobrato rebounded by coming out of the half with an aggressiveness that netted three goals.
Isabell Okamura got things started with a goal shot from well beyond the five-meter line to break the tie. Abby Pfefferlen made it a two-score game when she got behind the defense on a fast break for a 5-3 lead.
The Gators answered later in the quarter with a goal from Yu, but Hill made it 6-4 near the end of the frame.
That’s as close as Sobrato came.
Yu and Flamen each netted their third goals and Maddie Macdonald got on the scorer’s talley with one of her own.
Burnett said his girls never gave up and had some open looks at the cage, but just couldn’t get one past the netminder to either send the game into extra frames or pull out a win.
Sobrato finishes the season 20-7 overall.
