Santa Fe volleyball sweeps away Crystal River

ALACHUA — Santa Fe volleyball coach Michele Faulk said she likes the way her team is playing right now, especially senior Cynthia Smith.

The outside hitter fired 15 kills, picked up eight digs and added seven service points, including a pair of aces as the Raiders sunk Crystal River 25-16, 25-16, 25-17 in Tuesday night’s Region 2-3A quarterfinal.

Sophomore Grace Alleman, who missed the first half of the season due to a knee injury, followed with 11 kills, two digs and one block for Santa Fe (16-12), which hosted and won its first regional playoff match since 2006.

“There are times when her (Smith) teammates need her, their coach on the court, to step up and take that role and she is doing that,” said Faulk, who has guided the Raiders to the regional playoffs for the eighth straight season. “She is leading by example, she is keeping their focus out on the court and that is what you want your captain to be doing at this point in the season. She is lots of fun to coach.”

In the first set, Shelby Buxton reeled off seven straight service points to give Santa Fe a 16-7 edge. But the Pirates (17-6) crept back and trailed 17-13 before a kill by Smith gave the Raiders a five-point cushion. Jenn Hall then picked up four of her match-high 15 service points, followed by Lauren Schmidt’s kill that closed out out the opening set for Santa Fe.

The Raiders led the entire second set with four service points by Smith giving the home team a 20-11 advantage. Smith also closed out the second set with a kill.

Crystal River hung around in the third set, holding an early lead before Meagan Unverdorben collected four straight service points to pull the Pirates to within 16-15. A kill by Alleman ignited a 6-0 run as Santa Fe led 22-15. Alleman then drilled her final kill of the night and Hall picked up her final two service points of the evening to clinch the set and the match to the delight of the Raider Gym crowd.

Kristen Norfleet had 10 kills and 12 digs and Becca Reynolds had 18 assists for Crystal River, which reached the regional playoffs for the first since 2005. This was the second playoff meeting between the two schools as Santa Fe defeated Crystal River in the opening round of the 1991 playoffs.

“I felt we played very well,” Faulk said. We got a little sloppy there in game three. But we came out strong and played hard. There was lapses a little bit, but we have to clean our game up because we are definitely going to be facing tougher teams down the road.”

Ocala Trinity Catholic knocked off Fort White in its opening-round match, and will head to Alachua for next Tuesday’s Region 2-3A semifinal. These two clubs have already met twice this season, with Santa Fe taking both matches.