By Pete Borello
Prep Girls Volleyball
Despite beating four formidable opponents in straight games to open the season, coach Kim Oden says her St. Francis High girls volleyball team still has plenty of room for improvement.
“Everything,” Oden said when asked what the Lancers need to work on. “Passing, shot selection when hitting, serving, offense and defense.”
Based on last Thursday’s performance, however, it’s doubtful the average fan could tell St. Francis needs to work on anything.
The host Lancers, ranked No. 1 in the nation, pounded previously undefeated Presentation 15-3, 15-6, 15-3. The non-league match lasted just over an hour.
Jessica Gysin led St. Francis with a match-high 12 kills, while teammates Colby Lyman and Diane Copenhagen added six each.
“That was one of our best performances yet, as far as the most consistent level we’ve played all year,” said Oden, whose team handed Presentation its first loss in eight matches. “We’re making progress, but we can still get better.”
The Lancers play at Palo Alto at 2 p.m., Saturday.
In other local volleyball action last week:
Two days after losing its home opener to Branham, Mountain View fell to Notre Dame-San Jose in straight games.
Host Notre Dame prevailed 15-10, 15-11, 15-10 Thursday in a non-league match. Sophomore Sariah Alcaraz paced the Spartans (2-6) with 10 kills.
Branham beat Mountain View 15-4, 13-15, 15-3, 15-7, despite some solid individual efforts from the home team.
Colleen Schumacher led the Spartans in kills (9), service aces (3) and digs (10). Rose Wei, playing a new position (right-side hitter) due to injuries on her team, contributed six kills and had seven digs. Middle blocker Peyton Paulick added six kills, three aces, a solo block and three digs. Setter Rebecca Corman posted 30 assists, two kills and nine digs
Mountain View hosts district rival Los Altos at 6:45 p.m., Thursday.
Los Altos fell 7-15, 15-11, 9-15, 6-15 at home to Hollister-San Benito on Friday. The Eagles were led by Ashley Bjorklund with 14 kills, followed by Andrea Cummings with eight. Michelle Nelson recorded 31 assists.
Three days earlier, Los Altos (4-5) failed to win a game against Presentation, losing 15-7, 15-5, 15-9. The host Eagles played without the services of right-side hitter/setter Bjorklund, who coach Dave Winn said “was feeling a bit under the weather and we wanted to rest her.”
Allie Miller led Los Altos in kills with six and Nelson had five.
Pinewood won its first match of the season Sept. 18, beating Fremont 13-15, 15-3, 15-12, 15-5 in Sunnyvale.
Kristin Mitchell paced the Panthers with 14 aces and seven kills. Anna Tracy had 11 kills, Brett Smith-Hams six and Daniela Roark five.
“We played a well-fought match against Fremont,” Pinewood coach Shanelle Cotton said. “We still have a lot of improving to do.”
That proved true on Friday when Pinewood lost 4-15, 10-15, 16-14, 15-13, 13-15 to visiting Cupertino. Tracy came up with 15 kills for the Panthers (1-4), while Julie Nakamoto and Smith-Hams had eight and six, respectively.
