ELK GROVE, Calif. – Freshman guard Elise Vipond hit 7 of 9 from beyond the three-point arc for a team-leading 27 points, propelling St. Francis to a 45-36 win over Laguna Creek in non-league girls' prep basketball action Thursday night.

The Troubadours even their overall record at 3-3. The Cardinals slip to 3-4 for the season.

Thursday's game marked the third double-digit offensive performance for Vipond, who scored 18 and 20 in her first two games for St. Francis, respectively. It also marks the most by any Troubie player since Sydney Teoh poured in 28 against Whitney more than 10 months ago on January 31, 2025.

Senior Lexi London barely missed another double-double, finishing with nine points and 10 rebounds. Another freshman, Hassanah Ramsey-Gilbert, matched those 10 boards to go with three blocked shots. Ramsey-Gilbert added five points, with senior Colleen Medina accounting for the remaining four.

St. Francis led the whole way, with Vipond draining her first trey just 39 seconds after the opening tip as part of a 6-0 start. The Cardinal managed to close within two points early in the second, only for Vipond to drain another bomb at the 7:07 mark to bump the margin back to 18-13. She nailed another three from near the right elbow near the end of the half to help keep SF on top at the break, 23-17.

Vipond continued to bury shots from long range early in the third, converting assists from London and Natalia Zitelli in the process. Ramsey-Gilbert followed with a transition score at the 5:17 mark in the third period, finishing an overall 11-2 Troubie run for a 31-19 lead.

LC sophomore Alyson Aguirre-Hernandez buried a three-pointer of her own while Jestine Tofi scored twice down the stretch, but Vipond hit her sixth and seventh threes during that same run, as St. Francis entered the fourth period with an 11-point, 37-26 lead. Lilliana Medina and Aguirre-Hernandez lit up the scoreboard to start the fourth to close the gap to six at 37-31. The Cardinals stole possession on the next trip down and appeared to have an easy transition bucket before Zitelli drew a key charge in the lane, slowing LC's momentum.

London assisted Vipond on a fast break with 3:15 remaining, then slashed through the lane 30 seconds later to restore the SF lead to double digits at 43-33. The Troubies finally sealed the game on a key sequence in the final seconds. With nine ticks remaining, Colleen Medina broke away on a fast break before receiving a two-handed shove from behind directly in front of the scorer's table. This not only sent her to the free-throw line – where she promptly made both free throws – but it kept the ball in St. Francis possession for the remainder of the game.

During the varsity win, the Troubadours' Gold junior varsity squad held onto a 43-41 win over Franklin at Vista Del Lago as part of the three-day Folsom-Vista Winter Classic tournament. Junior Audrey Bashore finished with a team-leading 18 points while Cate Gustafson tallied 11 rebounds. However, head coach John Bashore credited sophomore Saihej Sekhon for sparking the team both offensively and defensively in the second half. Sekhon finished with career highs of 10 points and six boards.

The win at Laguna Creek wraps the weekend for St. Francis' varsity, but the two JV teams continue action at the Winter Classic. Gold faces either Rocklin or the host Eagles on Friday, with JV Red beginning its tourney play with a 5:30 p.m. against Christian Brothers.

St. Francis varsity hosts Will C. Wood on Tuesday for its next game on the slate.