The Santa Barbara High girls’ volleyball team emerged victorious from a hotly contested CIF-SS Division 5 second-round match against Sacred Heart.
The Dons narrowly captured the first set and carried that momentum to a 26-24, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23 win. They will now advance to the quarterfinals, where they will host Gahr on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
“Sacred Heart was a consistent team defensively, which forced our own defense to endure long rallies and our offense to be creative in putting the ball away,” said Santa Barbara coach Kristin Hempy. “I’m very proud of these girls for digging deep, finding the solutions that worked, and getting the win on Homecoming.”
Blake Saunders continued her strong play this season with 16 kills and 16 digs. Lola Heckman added 13 kills and two blocks, while Kira Elliot chipped in with 10 kills. Paylin Marcilac was a stalwart on defense, finishing with 27 digs and two aces.
Setter Jules Horton distributed the ball effectively for Santa Barbara, tallying 44 assists, 16 digs, and two blocks.
