SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior middle blocker Lily Zeff hit 16 kills with just one error en route to a .577 hitting average, junior outside hitter Natalie Sandoval chipped in a double-double of 15 kills and 10 digs while senior libero Jacqueline Smith posted a team-leading 18 digs as St. Francis came away with a four-set, 25-12, 21-25, 25-14, 25-11 win over Inderkum in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I girls' volleyball tournament Tuesday night.
The sixth-seeded Troubadours improve to 25-8 for the season. They will now head to third-seeded Oak Ridge for a quarterfinal match on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Zeff's match continues a torrid run down the stretch of the season. Including an 11-0-12 match against Sheldon one week earlier, she now has 35 kills with just two errors in 48 swings during the last three matches for a .688 clip. She raised her season hitting average to a whopping .451.
Senior Kelsey Magley ran the offense to the tune of 44 assists and a .229 team efficiency rate, while providing 10 digs and four service aces. SF also enjoyed contributions off the bench from Isabella Ramos (nine digs), Veronica Datwyler (two aces, seven digs) and Amanda Silber (2-0-6 hitting) in piecing together the victory.
St. Francis is now 19-0 in CIF-SJS first-round matches dating back to 2004. The Troubies are pursuing their 14th overall section title and the fourth at the D-I level. All of the championships have taken place under the tutelage of Alynn Wright, who will retire at the conclusion of this season after 35-year, multiple-Hall of Fame career.
