SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The St. Francis volleyball team advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section championship with a 3-0 win over St. Mary’s of Stockton Tuesday night. The Troubadours will face state No. 1 ranked Granite Bay at 6 p.m.

“I feel so proud of my teammates and am so happy with the game we played tonight,” said senior Karson Bisharat, who finished with five kills and three blocks. “We supported each other and it was a lot of fun.”

The Troubadours won a hard-fought first set. They led by four three times for the largest lead in the set, taking a 20-16 advantage late. The Rams tied it four times before St. Francis won the final two points to take the set 25-23.

“I think that set the tone,” said Head Coach Alynn Wright, who has led St. Francis to 12 section titles in her career. “Though I think we would have turned it on if we lost that one. I was worried about St. Mary’s because I knew they would play very good defense. Jaynee is an amazing coach. We were scouted well and they knew what to do.”

St. Francis jumped out in the second set, winning the first four points and never trailed before closing it out 25-16, equaling the largest lead in the set.

“I was proud of the way we kept our composure,” said Wright. “We gave up some runs but we battled back and tied it quickly.”

St. Mary’s (33-7) did not give up in the third, taking a four-point lead at 13-9 forcing a timeout by Wright. The Troubies responded to tie the game at 14 and went on to win the set 25-22.

“I told them they had to tie it at 15 and the fact that they did it as quickly as they did,” said Wright. “It was decisive.’

Senior setter Ali Koumelis finished with a double-double with 32 assists and 10 digs.

“She played amazing,” said Wright about Koumelis. “She set a really smart game and isolated hitters well. She involved everyone. It was not our best passing game so she really had to work.”

Chloe Hakim finished with a team-best 30 digs, while Anna Baytosh led the team with 10 kills to go with 14 digs to record her own double-double.

St. Francis (32-7) advances to its section championship for the seventh straight season, entering Thursday’s match as the two-time Division I Sac-Joaquin Section champions. They have won 11 straight section playoff games over the last three seasons.

The Troubadours are 0-2 against Granite Bay this season but have won individual sets in each matchup versus the Grizzlies.

SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION SEMIFINALS

ST. FRANCIS 3, ST. MARY’S 0

St. Francis def. St. Mary’s 25-23, 25-16, 25-22