November 17th 2024.
The much-anticipated NorCal Open Division title game between St. Francis and Archbishop Mitty is finally here. This match has been a recurring event for the past few volleyball seasons and it's no surprise that it's happening again. The location for this exciting game is set in Mountain View on Tuesday, but it didn't seem like a guaranteed event early on Saturday night.
The Lancers faced their biggest game of the season against St. Ignatius, the same team they had battled in the section title game just a week prior. Things didn't look good for St. Francis when they fell behind 1-0 early on. However, they didn't let this discourage them and they ended up winning the game 3-2 against the Wildcats. The unexpected hero of the night was sophomore setter Kimberly Lai, who confidently led the team's attack in a loud and energetic gym.
When asked about her performance, Lai admitted to being nervous at the beginning but felt more at ease once she stepped onto the court. Her senior teammates, Grace Gowdy, who was out due to an illness, Cassidy Pietsch, and Jaemysen Martin, were all there to support her throughout the game. It was a close match, with St. Francis and St. Ignatius constantly responding to each other's runs. Coach Lake Merchen couldn't help but praise his team after the intense game, calling it the coolest match he's been a part of as a coach.
Next up for the Lancers is their long-time rivals, Archbishop Mitty. They split the two full matches and lost their two-set tournament match against them, but Merchen believes that Saturday's grueling game will prepare his team for their final NorCal test.
Meanwhile, in other NorCal divisions, there were some surprising upsets and impressive victories. No. 5 Foothill pulled off a major upset against No. 1 Folsom in the Division I bracket, securing their spot in the D-I championship game against No. 6 Redwood. In Division II, top-seeded San Ramon Valley swept No. 12 Sacred Heart Prep to advance to the final against No. 3 Buchanan. No. 5 Aragon also caused an upset in the D-III semifinals, sweeping No. 1 Branham to set up a match against No. 2 Monta Vista. And in Division IV, No. 4 St. Patrick-St. Vincent defeated No. 1 Liberty Ranch to reach the title game against No. 2 Hilmar.
It's clear that the NorCal volleyball playoffs have been full of intense and unexpected games, and the upcoming championship games are sure to bring even more excitement. Stay tuned to see who will come out on top in each division.
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