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The depth of St. Francis attackers was born out of necessity. Now it’s a major reason why the Lancers will be playing for the NorCal Regional girls volleyball title against a familiar opponent on Tuesday.
“It’s wild. We’ve gone through a broad spectrum of lineups this season,” St. Francis coach Lake Merchen said after No. 8 seed St. Francis beat No. 4 seed Menlo 25-21, 25-21, 25-19 on Saturday night in the NorCal Regional semifinal. “It’s a testament to coming to practice every day regardless of your role and when your card is called, you’re showing up.”
The Lancers really haven’t been at full strength all season and yet they’re a match away from a spot in the state finals.
St. Francis has another date at No. 2 seed Mitty on Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to the state final against either Marymount or Cathedral Catholic next Saturday.
USC bound Maddie Pietsch recorded nine of her 17 kills in the first set. She missed the start of the season with an injury. The last time St. Francis played Menlo, on Sept. 7, she was just getting back into the lineup.
Seniors Lauren Scheffler and Ella Norris, who helped carry the load with Pietsch sidelined, have not played since Oct. 27.
“We’ve had a couple of people who were strictly back row players coming up and playing in the front,” St. Francis senior middle blocker Nunu Saulala said. “We’ve had a sophomore come in and do it.”
The Lancers (20-11) have come to rely on three sophomores, with Erin Curtis the team leader in kills. Whitney Wallace has been St. Francis’ top libero all season and Taylor Williams has been a pleasant surprise in the front row.
Curtis had 13 kills and Williams added seven against Menlo (29-7) while Saulala added three kills and three blocks, including a monster solo block that gave the Lancers a 23-19 lead in the third set.
“I just like putting the ball down,” she said.
“I play open gym with her and she has so many skills,” Menlo freshman opposite Lily Kautai said of Saulala. “She’s an amazing player.”
Kautui might have played her best match of the season. At the very least she showed she’s right to step up next season.
The final six points of the match were delivered by six different players.
Menlo’s Cleo Hardin (a sophomore) recorded a kill to tie the third set at 19-all. Sammy Franco, Pietsch and Williams then each recorded a kill ahead of Saulala’s block. Curtis put down a kill to put St. Francis at match point and junior setter Hannah Hoeft, who transferred to St. Francis from Menlo, recorded the final point.
Hoeft has been setting full-time ever since Norris has been unavailable.
“This team is so bought in right now,” Merchen said. “The coolest thing is how they are battling for each other. There’s a level of trust that has been developing all season and it’s really showing on the court.”
Menlo loses nine seniors: Zoe Gregory, Alli McKenney, Hallie MacDonald, Hanna Hoffman, Sharon Nejad, Kami Israelski, Lulu Kautai, Jazlin Chen and Simone Adam.
“They’re fantastic,” Menlo coach Tony Holland said. “Four of them have been on varsity since their freshmen year and three started. They have left an indelible mark on the program. It’s been a great run and I consider myself beyond lucky for the opportunity to work with them.”
The final image of the (K)night belongs to Menlo junior Brooke Dombkowski, who raced after a ball heading toward the far wall early in the second set.
She needed to get it over the net and did so it in a spectacular fashion, sending the ball between the ceiling and a beam and having it fall untouched on St. Francis’ side for a point.
