MOUNTAIN VIEW — St. Francis will play host to Archbishop Mitty on Tuesday within the NorCal Open Division title recreation, a matchup that you possibly can seemingly have penciled in initially of the previous few volleyball seasons that was set in stone in Mountain View on Saturday evening.
However the inevitable – Lancers vs. Monarchs with a visit to SoCal on the road – didn’t appear so assured early on Saturday evening.
Within the largest recreation of the season, dealing with a St. Ignatius staff that it had dueled within the part title recreation per week prior, the Lancers went down 1-0 early. However the staff rallied, and it was an unlikely star who offered the spark for the staff’s 3-2 victory over the Wildcats.
With senior captain Grace Gowdy out with an sickness, sophomore setter Kimberly Lai performed like a battle-tested upperclassman, calmly main St. Francis’ assault within the raucous Raskob gymnasium.
“In the beginning I was nervous, but the moment I stepped on the court and started playing, I felt comfortable,” Lai mentioned.
St. Francis gained 22-25, 25-8, 25-16, 22-25, 15-10. Seniors Cassidy Pietsch and Jaemysen Martin gave their younger teammate loads of help all through the sport.
And the Lancers wanted each massive play they might get, with Carol Manu and the Wildcats at all times seeming to reply every St. Francis run with a run of their very own.
Lancers coach Lake Merchen was glowing after the slugfest.
“That was without a doubt the coolest match I’ve been a part of as a coach,” Merchen mentioned.
Up subsequent is his staff’s everlasting rivals, who cut up the 2 full matches and misplaced its two-set event match. He believed that Saturday’s marathon bout will assist put together the Lancers for his or her final NorCal check.
Associated Articles
Excessive College Sports activities |
Archbishop Mitty greets Rocklin, former coach Bret Almazan-Cezar with sweep in NorCal Open volleyball semis
Excessive College Sports activities |
Highschool soccer in photos: Our workers’s greatest pictures of Week 12, 2024
Excessive College Sports activities |
Cats on high: Los Gatos beats Serra, palms Padres first CCS loss since 2018 whereas stirring recollections of 2014
Excessive College Sports activities |
Bay Space highschool soccer roundup 2024: Better of Week 12 motion
Excessive College Sports activities |
San Ramon Valley embraces physicality in massive NCS playoff win over California
“It’s going to be another match, just like this one,” Merchen mentioned.
St. Francis misplaced final season’s NorCal title recreation to Mitty 3-1, however had gained the sport by the identical margin in 2022.
– Joseph Dycus
Different NorCal Divisions
No. 5 Foothill upset No. 1 Folsom within the Division I bracket, besting the Bulldogs 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-13 to advance to the D-I championship recreation in opposition to No. 6 Redwood … High-seeded San Ramon Valley superior to the Division II remaining, sweeping No. 12 Sacred Coronary heart Prep 28-26, 25-17, 25-18. The Wolves will host No. 3 Buchanan on Tuesday … No. 5 Aragon surprised high seed Branham within the D-III semifinals, sweeping the Bruins 27-25, 25-21, 25-19 in San Jose. The Dons will face No. 2 Monta Vista, which beat St. Joseph Notre Dame 25-15, 25-17, 16-25, 25-14 … No. 4 St. Patrick-St. Vincent upset No. 1 Liberty Ranch 10-25, 30-28, 28-26, 19-25, 15-7 to succeed in the D-IV title recreation. The Bruins will face No. 2 Hilmar within the championship match on Tuesday.
– Christian Babcock
