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Foothills Christian middle
blocker Reagan Falduti,
flanked by Karly Santos (4) and Karris Esselstrom.
(FCHS courtesy photo)
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The Foothills Christian
sister combo
of Mikaila (left) and Karly Santos.
(FCHS courtesy photo)
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CIF-SAN DIEGO SECTION PLAYOFFS
Lions rally from down 2-0 to upend Knights
© East County Sports.com
SPRING VALLEY (11-14-10) The greatest season
in the young history of the Foothills Christian High
volleyball team came to a premature ending.
After the Knights built a 2-0 lead in Saturday's (Nov.
13) San Diego CIF Division V quarterfinals, a ticket
to the Final Four seemed to be in hand. However, visiting
San Diego Jewish Academy made the necessary changes
on defense to flip-over the match, taking a shocking
3-2 victory at Mount Miguel High gymnasium.
The Lions, blitzed in the first two sets, won by scores
of 9-25, 12-25, 25-14, 25-21, 15-11.
"We just needed to take a deep breath and be more
together on the court," said SDJA junior Gabi Rothman,
who fueled the rally with 14 of her match-high 17 kills
over the final three sets. "Then we kept an eye
on the short ball."
As quickly as second-seeded Foothills moved in front,
suddenly they were unable to score points when the Lions
starting to dig more consistently. And when Rothman
was in the back row, her Solana Beach Volleyball Club
co-member Katie Sherman delivered the offense.
The Knights opened the match on a 15-3 roll in the
opener, then 9-2 in the second set. The leads featured
tough serving by JEANNIE LAMBERT and KARRIS ESSELSTROM.
Both finished with seven aces.
Meanwhile, Esselstrom and KARLY SANTOS registered nine
kills each, while REAGAN FALDUTI added five putaways,
as sophomore setter MIKAILA SANTOS found open hitters
throughout the early going.
"I'm still so proud of my girls -- they really
had a terrific season," said Foothills coach DAN
SANTOS, who will lose just one starting senior from
the Knights. "We hoped to have gone farther, but
our effort was there the entire match."
San Diego Jewish Academy advances to Tuesday's semifinals
on the road at Horizon.
Knights capture CIF opener in sweep
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (11-11-10) For the first time in school
history, Foothills Christian High owns a postseason
victory in volleyball.
Paced by eight kills and nine aces by outside hitter
KARRIS ESSELSTROM, the Knights scored a first-round
sweep over Liberty Charter of El Cajon, 25-14,
25-9, 25-13, in Wednesday's (Nov. 10) CIF-San Diego
Section Division V opener held at Granite Hills.
Esselstrom came through with one of her biggest performances
of the season while Liberty was busy trying to halt
Knights spiking leader REAGAN FALDUTI.
"It was one of the best matches that I've played,"
said Esselstrom, a sophomore. "MIKAILA (SANTOS,
the setter) and I were able to connect and hit to the
outside."
Falduti, the middle-blocker, also registered eight
kills, but with the Lions spying on her all match, the
deeper Foothills offense was still able to produce points
all night.
"We came in stronger and with more confidence
than we had in other playoffs," said KARLY SANTOS
on her school's first CIF victory after a trio of first-match
exits. "This year's different because we're a closer
team than before and we trust each other."
Karly Santos, a three-time Sunset League player of
the year, added five kills to fuel the offense. Meanwhile,
the Knights (20-11) collected half of their points on
strong serving, keeping Liberty off-strike all contest.
And with Mikaila Santos (33 assists) weaving the ball
to a variety of hitters with her sets, Foothills kept
its position as the second-seeds (behind 4-time champion
Tri-City Christian) to advance deep into the postseason
tournament.
"Mikaila reads the court so well, she always seems
to find the open player," noted Esselstrom, who
recorded four of her kills from the backcourt.
AMANDA SCHOOLCRAFT posted three blocks for the Knights.
Liberty, in its first season of athletics, saw middle
NICOLE SWAFFORD register a team-best four kills and
four blocks.
Foothills Christian advances to this weekend's Division
V quarterfinals. While all other matches will be played
Friday, the Knights were forced to move their contest
to Saturday to respect the beliefs of opposing San Diego
Jewish Academy, which does not play on Friday nights
or Saturday afternoons.
Thus, the match will be held Saturday at Mount Miguel
High. First serve is tentatively set for 7 p.m., yet
could be moved back to 8 p.m. for religious considerations.
SDJA, the Division V runners-up the past two seasons,
survived a 5-set marathon against Borrego Springs on
Tuesday, taking a 22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-14, 15-12
decision.
CIF-SAN
DIEGO SECTION
CHAMPIONSHIPS
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DIVISION V
First Round Tuesday
Borrego Springs (13-6) at SD Jewish (11-6)
First Round Wednesday
Liberty Christian (9-4) at (2) Foothills
Christian (19-11), at Granite Hills, 7 p.m.
Quarterfinals Nov. 12/13
Semifinals Nov. 16
Finals Nov. 20, 9:30 a.m. at Del Norte
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Foothills Christian seeks initial CIF triumph
Sunset champions seeded second in Division V
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (11-7-10) Following the best season
in school history, Foothills Christian High was rewarded
with a second seed when the Knights open play in the
CIF-San Diego Section Division V girls volleyball championships
this week.
The Knights, champions of the Sunset League for the
third time in four seasons, posted a 20-11 overall record
while going perfect in 10 league contests.
While playoff action begins Tuesday for the majority
of area schools, Foothills Christian will open its postseason
schedule on Wednesday, taking on the first-year program
from Liberty Charter of El Cajon. The match is slated
for 7 p.m. at Granite Hills High gymnasium.
Despite a roster averaging a diminutive 5-foot-5 along
the net, Foothills is noted for its defensive excellence.'
"That's where we pride ourselves," said fourth-year
coach DAN SANTOS, who previously headed the girls and
boys programs at Granite Hills. "Our goal is to
make the other team take five swings before they score
a point."
Pacing the Knights is senior outside hitter KARLY SANTOS,
who is expected to garner her third Sunset League player
of the year citation following the season.
The coach's daughter is also a three-time first-team
selection on the All-CIF Division V team. However, her
future will be the dental hygienist program at Southwestern
College.
Other top Knights including another sister in sophomore
setter MIKAILA SANTOS, while junior REAGAN FALDUTI patrols
the middle of the net, as the team seeks its first-ever
post-season victory (they once received a bye into the
quarterfinals).
Tri-City Christian was seeded No. 1 in Div. V. The Eagles
seek their fifth straight section title.
Should the Knights win their opening CIF match, they
are expected to meet San Diego Jewish Academy in the
quarterfinals. Due to faith considerations by SDJA,
the date of this match will also be moved to Sat., Nov.
13.
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