Sports
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Lancers Eye Record 9th State Crown
St. Francis takes aim at CIF State Division II title on Saturday; Lancers set to meet SoCal champion Troy at San Jose State.
When the St. Francis High girls volleyball team takes the court for the California Interscholastic Federation State Division II championship, the Lancers will have a chance to do something no other team has done in history.
A victory would give St. Francis its ninth state crown, breaking a deadlock with West Catholic Athletic League rival Mitty for the most championships by one school.
"I think that we're going to win Saturday," St. Francis outside hitter Veronica Paffen said after clinching the Northern California Division II title on Tuesday. "We're going to work really hard at practice this week, touch up on some stuff we need to work on. I think we can win on Saturday."
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Standing in St. Francis' way in the 5 p.m. final at the San Jose Events Center is the Southern California Division II champion, Troy High of Fullerton. Troy, the seventh seed in an ultra-competitive SoCal regional despite going 35-2 this season, seeks its first state title.
The Warriors, led by co-captain Nikki Brice, who recently committed to the University of Tennessee, have not lost a league match or home outing in three years. Troy also has not lost more than three matches in a year since the 2007-08 season. Troy advanced to the state final after defeating No. 1 seed St. Lucy's Priory in five sets, only one of seven non-sweep victories for the Warriors.
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St. Francis advanced after defeating WCAL foe Presentation 3-2 in thrilling fashion on Tuesday night at home. It marked the seventh time this season that Presentation and the Lancers met, with St. Francis taking the 4-3 edge with the victory.
"I want to stress how well all of our players had to play to get this win," St. Francis coach Leahi Hall said after her team's NorCal title. "So many people stepped up on different occasions. Our back row did an amazing job."
The Lancers, the Central Coast Section Division II champions, don't think their work is finished just yet. St. Francis is looking to raise another state championship banner in its home gym, a place the Lancers had the luxury of playing in throughout the Northern California regional due to their status as top seed.
Now playing at a neutral site at San Jose State University, St. Francis hopes to bring back a souvenir it can put next to its last state championship banner, from 2003. The Lancers were in the midst of a four-year reign as state champions then, winning the Division II title twice before taking the Division I and III crowns, respectively.
A second St. Francis dynasty may be in the works. Despite key losses to graduation, the Lancers found a way to field an elite team.
"We lost 11 seniors last season," captain Taylor Formico said. "We have a brand new team. We've worked really hard this whole season. It's definitely been a team effort."
Though the Lancers will lose the exceptional Paffen and middle blocker Caroline Walters to graduation, among others, they will have another season out of setter Formico as well as outside hitter Taylor Deaton.
"Our players are so talented," said Hall. "Any one of them can step up at any one point in a game."
Deaton and Paffen formed one of the most dynamic duos on attack this season. Their dual presence puts pressure on opposing defenses who cannot figure out the focal point to the Lancer offense.
NorCal championship heroine Veronica Komisarec will also return for another season with the Lancers. She hopes it will be with a state title in tow.