ALACHUA – Senior Rylie Tam had 19 kills, and Junior Jalyn Stout added 16, with 21 assists at match high, to Santa Fe High with a dominant 25-12, 25-12, 25-11 win in their fourth volleyball Regional finals in a row to run over Yulee Tuesday night.
Faced with a team with a distinct economies of scale, the Raiders were intrepid, relying on their speed to overtake the visitors and their defenses to thwart their attack. Santa Fe has consistently dismissed the Hornets and never allowed more than two consecutive Yulee points at any point in the game.
“We did everything very well tonight, except for Block,” said Santa Fe manager Eric Marshall. “I thought we escaped them. We were running fast on the network and they couldn’t keep up. “
In the opening game, Joselynn Sanjurjo slammed four kills over the Raiders’ last 11 points, including the sealer from a pass from Junior Anisa Dorlouis, to secure a 1-0 lead in the second year.
Game two started with the fiery Raiders taking a 9-1 lead. Stout and Tam teamed up four times during this early phase. Every time the duo met, Stout made his way to Tam, who sent a thundering kill into the hardwood. In the last part of the middle frame, Stout attacked, ending the set with six kills and an ace.
“Most of the time, we’re not scared when we see bigger teams,” said Stout. “I think we know that we can rely on our defense more than most teams because we are extremely athletic and fast.”
“The gift we have is that we can wield it from multiple positions at the same time,” explained Marshall.
In the third set, the Raiders stumbled a little out of the gate. However, 6-7 behind, Stout got Santa Fe going again, recording five kills over a span of nine consecutive Raiders points, many of which came sharply from the whip-like left hand that left the Hornets defenders with no hope of return caught. Stout’s last kill in that segment, making it 16-8, was the 1,000th of her high school career, all in just three years.
“Jalyn is a sporty freak,” said Marshall. “She can do it from any position. I just don’t think Jalyn can be stopped one on one. “
Tams and Stouts totals aside, Dorlouis made 18 assists and nine digs, giving Stout a dangerous secondary figure with her pass and defense.
“We just played really well all around,” said Stout. “We came together as a team and just played our best.”
Santa Fe (26-3) will meet Bishop Kenny (20-9) at home at 2pm on Saturday for a trip to the state’s Final Four. The Raiders’ season ended last year with a loss to Bishop Kenny in the region finals.
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