St. Francis volleyball team looks to build on last year's success

By Pete Borello, Town Crier Staff Writer

photos by R. Alan Hwang/Special to the Town Crier Emily Ettel is one of four capable setters on the St. Francis team.

Coach Kim Oden’s assessment of her St. Francis High girls volleyball team might make a good slogan for a T-shirt.

“We’re short and feisty,” the Lancers’ fourth-year coach said.

St. Francis lacks height - there’s just one player standing taller than 6 feet - but not wins. The Lancers are off to a 6-1 start, which Oden attributes to her team’s never-give-up mentality.

The coach points to last week’s four-game win over Carlmont as a prime example of St. Francis’ determination.

The visiting Scots won the ragged first game 26-24 after the Lancers made a few errors after 22-all. St. Francis rebounded with decisive wins in the next two games, 25-13 and 25-17, to take control. The fourth game was tied at 22, “but this time we stepped up and were the aggressor,” Oden said of the 27-25 win.

And it wasn’t just standouts like Lisa Prang (13 kills), Lauren Copenhagen (eight kills, eight blocks), Emily Ettel (21 assists), Asia Casino (17 assists) and Kaitlin Baxter (six kills, 10 blocks) who lifted the team to the non-league victory.

“The bench was going crazy,” Oden said. “The bench gave us energy throughout the match and it worked to our advantage.”

The way the players support one another is the team’s biggest strength, according to Oden.

“They do such a good job of creating positive chemistry, and that helps a lot,” she said.

So does the team’s experience. The Lancers have 11 returnees among their 16 players.

St. Francis is loaded at setter, where Oden has four capable players in senior starter Ettel and junior reserves Casino, Liz Prang (Lisa’s twin) and Ashley Malone.

“We’re very blessed at the setter position - we have four really good setters and all of them could be starters,” Oden said. “It’s a nice problem to have, but it’s challenging” to find sufficient playing time for all four.

Lisa Prang and senior Lexi Aiassa start at outside hitter.

“They’re both doing a great job,” Oden said. “Lisa, as a junior, is repeating what she did last year - she’s our primary passer and outside hitter - and she’s improved her game. Lexi has shown great improvement, and her focus is fantastic.”

The middle blockers are Nicole Merslich and Baxter, who each stand 5-foot-11. Merslich, a senior, is a returning starter. Baxter, a junior, “is a quick learner as far as technique,” Oden said.

Copenhagen returns as the starter on the right side. The 6-foot-1 senior “is stronger and more confident, and it’s showing in her game,” the coach said.

Yasameen Raissinia, the libero, rounds out the starting lineup. A reserve last year, the senior has impressed Oden with her readiness to take over as the team’s defensive specialist.

“She did a great job preparing herself,” the coach said. “Last season she took in everything she would need to fill that position. She’s done a great job stepping up.”

As far as depth goes, Oden said the Lancers are “OK.” If the team hopes to match or exceed last year’s success - St. Francis went 24-8 and was Central Coast Section runnerup and NorCal semifinalist in Division III - it will likely need its full complement of players.

“We just need to stay healthy,” Oden said.

Especially to survive in the West Catholic Athletic League, one of the most competitive leagues in the state.

“There are no ‘gimme’ games in the WCAL,” Oden said. “Everyone’s good.”

The coach said the Lancers’ goals for the season have yet to be defined, other than “to compete in every match.”

St. Francis lived up to that expectation in the season-opening Milpitas Spikefest. The Lancers went 4-1, losing only to defending WCAL champ Mitty in the final.

“It was wonderful to play great teams,” said Oden, whose squad beat perennial powers Los Gatos and Presentation on the way to the title match Sept. 2. “It was fantastic (for our confidence). Now we have to sustain it.”

St. Francis is next in action Friday, hosting Castilleja at 5 p.m. in a non-league match.