SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The top-seeded St. Francis volleyball team advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Championship match with a 3-0 win over No. 5 Pleasant Grove on Tuesday night.
"They are truly playing as a team right now," said Head Coach Alynn Wright. "They are fighting for each other. Tonight was a good example of it. We had to make some subs and they came in and did a great job. Everyone was exited for each other."
The Troubadours won both regular season matches with the Eagles but knew they were in for a fight on Tuesday. The Eagles, who played without their starting setter, battled SF evenly to start the first set with the teams trading points at 8-8.
"There was good competition in the first set," said senior Kathryn Kramer. "Once we got our groove. We came out strong and I think that helped us."
Sophomore Ellie Eichhorn came in and served nine straight points to help the team take a 25-13 win.
"It was really fun," said Eichhorn of her run. "When I first came on the court, Madie came up and told me we needed me to go on a run right here and to focus. I did and it worked out really well. It was great to contribute, especially against PG."
PG took the early lead 6-4 in the second before an 8-0 run spurred by the serving of Kiley Kane to build a 14-8 lead. PG fought back to tie at 17 and take a lead 18-17 looking to tie the match. But junior Alexa Edwards, who finished with a match high 20 kills against one error, led a strong finish to take the set 25-22.
"Those runs allow you to relax just a little bit and not play tight," said Wright. "When it is neck and neck is when it is really fun. You want to play but when you have a lead you can make a mistake and you have a cushion. They did not allow too many runs tonight."
St. Francis (32-4) took control in the third and never trailed after dropping the opening point to complete the sweep 25-19.
Kramer finished with 11 kills. Edwards had a double-double with 20 kills and 11 digs. Senior Sam Chavez led the team with 12 digs and Jesiree Moral (18 assists) and Eichhorn (16 assists) provide solid setting. Eichhorn and Kane each had 12 points on serve and the team combined for six aces in the match.
"Pleasant Grove played a really good match," said Wright. "We came up with some big momentum plays in key times."
The Troubies were sparked by a solid showing by the St. Francis Zoo cheering section fueled by pregame pizza on the second day of Homecoming."
"It was so fun to have the zoo here today," said Kramer. "It really helped us. It is exciting that it is Homecoming this week and I am excited to see what happens on Saturday."
St. Francis will play in the section championship match for the second consecutive season. The Troubies fell at home last season before advancing to the CIF NorCal Open Division.
"I think we really have to focus on the little details and playing together as a team," said Kramer.
SF earned a NorCal berth with their semifinal appearance but might be playing for a chance to host next week on Saturday. If it was the final home game, where SF was 10-0 this season, it was a special one.
"It is really sad because I have been on varsity all four years," said Kramer. "If it was my last home match, it was a good match to end on."
NorCal seeding will be announced on Sunday.
''We are looking forward to playing hard as a team and showing our sisterhood," said Eichhorn of the section finals.
Sac-Joaquin Section Finals at Natomas High:
Division V: No. 7 Vacaville Chr. vs. No. 1 Woodland Chr., noon
Division II: No. 2 St. Mary's vs. No. 1 Ponderosa, 3 p.m.
Division I: No. 7 Oak Ridge vs. No. 1 St. Francis, 6 p.m.
#TroubieTakeover
