MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Senior outside hitter Charlise Rowe hit eight kills on 19 swings while junior libero Jacqueline Smith tallied a team-best 14 digs, but Sac-Joaquin Section runner-up St. Francis ultimately fell in a 25-19, 25-17, 25-19 sweep to Central Coast Section champion Saint Francis in the first round of the CIF NorCal Regional Open Division tourney Wednesday night.
The Troubadours, seeded eighth in the draw, finish their season at 23-9. The top-seeded Lancers, ranked 11th nationally in last week's USA Today/AVCA Super 25, remain undefeated at 32-0.
Rowe matched junior opposite Caroline Foraker as the team's kills leader with eight, while posting a pair of blocks: an assist with middle blocker Lily Zeff in the first set, then a solo stuff early in the second. Rowe committed only two attack errors, finishing with a .316 average.
The Troubies managed to push their nationally ranked hosts in each of the three sets. The two teams battled to six ties in the opening frame, including a 14-14 impasse with a tip from Lancer junior Taylor Williams sailed just long of the baseline. However, the Saint Francis left-sider more than redeemed herself for that miscue, pounding out three kills in a 5-1 run to set her team to a 19-15 lead. The Troubies mounted a brief comeback to within a 21-19 deficit on a Rowe putaway and a Foraker ace, but the Lancers scored four straight to finish – including two aces by libero Whitney Wallace.
St. Francis led briefly in the second set when Saint Francis left-sider Erin Curtis had a kill called back on a net violation, putting the guests up by a 9-8 advantage. Then Wallace and Stonehill College signee Samantha Franco each served up aces to restore the Lancer lead to three at 13-10. Senior middle Sophia Garza halted the Lancer attack with two zero blocks before Olivia Mlikotin's tool ended the point at 13-11, but that proved to be the closest the Troubies came to equalizing in the second. Saint Francis slowly pulled away despite a pair of Rowe kills and a Foraker solo block down the stretch.
The Troubadours overcame an immediate 3-0 hole in the third, tying the score three times before taking another short-lived lead. Rowe slammed a four ball to equalize at 10-10, then her tip pushed St. Francis up by an 11-10 lead. Again, the Lancers quickly reclaimed the advantage at 12-11, although the Troubies managed to cut the margin to a single point on three more occasions after that. Foraker scored a kill from mid-tape at 13-12, Rowe pounded another ball from the left pin to set the board at 14-13, and Garza punished a stray Lancer free ball for a kill to make it 16-15. Nonetheless, the hosts had an answer to each, and the Troubies never fully closed the gap. Franco scored from the right side and Curtis pounded out two from the left to stretch the Saint Francis lead to 19-15.
Mlikotin hammered out a kill at 21-18 and Foraker's slide made it 21-19 to provide a ray of hope for the Troubies to extend the match, but the Lancers claimed four unanswered to finish the sweep. Credit senior middle Faith Crouch for a solo block and a kill in that last flourish.
Wednesday's match closed out the career for five outstanding Troubie seniors. Garza was celebrated earlier that morning for her signing to San Francisco State. Mlikotin finished as one of the team's kills leaders in each of the past two seasons. Sofia Alkire contributed as a serving specialist, highlighted by five-ace performances against Pleasant Grove (Sept. 15) and Cosumnes Oaks (Oct. 20) in the 2022 Delta League season. Setter Kate Fobes relieved starter Kelsey Magley on several occasions this season, most notably with 35 assists and a team .322 average in the Senior Night match against Sheldon. Finally, Rowe saw an uptick in reps after junior outside hitter Mila Stojakovic went down with injury, and her nine kills proved instrumental in SF's upset of Rocklin in the CIF-SJS tourney run.
The 2022 season also featured the program's 23rd league title and 21st trip to the section championship match, plus a resounding 3-0 sweep in the annual Holy Court rivalry match against Christian Brothers.
