Top ranked Walsh Jesuit survived a scare on Friday to defeat number ten Sunbury Big Walnut 25-15, 24-26, 25-23, 25-10 in their state semifinal. When you look at the stats, which show the Warriors leading in kills 63-37, it’s hard to believe there was a problem, but when you consider that the New York Yankees outscored the Pittsburgh Pirates 55-27 in the 1960 World Series, it’s hard to believe the Yankees lost.
That’s how “best-of” contests work, where blowouts count the same as close scores.
Walsh Coach Missy Christ said she expected Big Walnut to come out strong, after last year’s tough match, and they did. She thought her players let up some in the second and third games and, instead of playing to win, they played not to lose.
Walsh Jesuit led game one all the way. Bucknell bound setter Rachel Rodriquez, who would make 46 assists, started the scoring with a dump, and after Ohio State recruit Katie Dull pounded the first of 25 kills, she served an ace. The Warriors raced in front 14-5 with junior middle Anne Dorff scoring a kill and block as libero Sarah Dean, who had 23 digs, served a six point rally. Dull scored the Warriors’ last two points for the win.
Game two was a different animal with the teams battling back and forth. Pittsburgh bound 6’1” outside Hannah Swysgood started things off for Big Walnut with a knock down kill. Dull tied the score, but Swysgood hit another knock down and she, sophomore Kaitlyn Sabatini and junior Danielle Tarney teamed on a block of Dull, who then committed an attack error.
With the Golden Eagles up 7-5, Walsh rallied, getting three kills by West Point recruit Mandi Rowell, and a kill apiece by Dull and Emily Vassil. The Warriors upped the margin to 16-10 after two aces by Rodriguez, but a long hit followed by two kills from Swysgood started a gradual Big Walnut rally in which the Eagles clawed to within a point three times.
Walsh got 23-21 breathing on an Eagle attack error, but Swysgood tied it with two kills off sets by Summer Hale. Dull placed a nice tip to her left for a 24-23 lead, but the Warriors then made two errors. Swysgood then served an ace that landed on the back of the line. Walsh players looked for relief from the line judge who said “No, it’s there”.
Game three was tense with eight ties and six lead changes. Big Walnut led 4-3 and Walsh led 6-4. Tarney scored a kill off a set from Swysgood and junior outside Corinne Windle tied it with a kill. The Eagles went up 10-7 with two more scores from Windle, only to have the Warriors tie at 10 and 11. But the Eagles then edged ahead to 19-15 and 20-17, and the Warriors were getting close to needing a fifth game if they were to win.
At this point Vassil stepped up. The scrappy outside hitter nailed a kill, and then served four points on two aces, with Rowell blocking Swysgood and Dull pounding a spike that was tipped out. Big Walnut tied it back up at 23 on a kill by Swysgood, but Rodriguez scored a dump and Big Walnut’s next hit was out.
Walsh took quick charge in game four when Dull tied the score at 2-2 on a termination, then served three aces and Dorff added a point. Later with Walsh already up 14-8, Vassil served eight points as Rowell and Dull blocked and pounded kills.
Big Walnut coach Ron Lehman was philosophical about the loss. He focused on the leadership provided by Swysgood and Hale, and the great attitudes they bring to the game. Two years ago, as sophomores, they lost in five to DeSales at regionals and figured they’d lost their chance to reach state. But now they’ve been there twice.
Swysgood led Big Walnut with 17 kills, and also had 11 digs. Hale led in digs with 12 and assists with 28. Windle chipped in with 12 kills. Big Walnut closes at 24-4.
Top ranked Walsh advances to the championship match with a 27-1 record, their only loss being to Toledo St. Ursula. The Warriors biggest win was over Mt. Notre Dame at a tri-match at Magnificat.
They know what to expect in the final. Dull said last year’s loss (to Roger Bacon) “gives us incentive tomorrow. We know what we have to do”.
So how do they correct their tentative play for the championship match. Coach Christ’s response was “I think they already did”.
Millersburg West Holmes (24-4) found there’s a big difference between the numbers two and three yesterday as they fell to second ranked Kettering Archbishop Alter (25-3) 25-18, 25-18, 25-11. Last week, they toppled unbeaten third ranked Warsaw River View, a team with two players at 6’1” or over.
Alter had three losses and no players over 5’11”, prompting coach Tina Jasinowski to remark, “we’re deceptive, we don’t have anybody 6’4” who looks like they’re going to hurt you”.
But, in fact, they play great ball control, and with their talent spread out, they have lots of people who can hurt you bad.
Yesterday it was outside Sarah Fisher who hurt West Holmes with 21 kills. And four players, Lauren Woeste, Kacie Hausfeld, Emily Borchers and Moira Cummins combined for 43 digs. Hausfeld added 31 assists.
Alter led most of game one going up 6-2 and 16-7 behind the hitting of Fisher, Woeste and sophomore Monica Lachey.
Senior Keysha Allison then started a furious rally with a kill. Freshman Noelle Yoder added a kill and the two blocked Fisher, who reposted with a kill to make it 17-10. But Allison added another kill and blocked Fisher, Brooke Akins spiked a kill and she and Allison put another block on Fisher. Hopes for a comeback were, however, dashed by three errors, and the teams traded points from there.
Game two saw five tie scores and two lead changes as Akins, 6’1” sophomore Sarah Hammond and Allision spiked and blocked for West Holmes, and Fisher and Woeste pounded away for Alter. West Holmes’ final tie at 10-10 came when defender Dani Atherton made two saves and Allison spiked a kill.
Fisher then tipped an overpass, and she pounded a kill after a tip by Laravie for a 13-10 lead which grew to 16-11 and 22-13. West Holmes closed a bit at the end on two aces by Atherton and a kill by Markie McDowell.
After a 1-1 tie in game three, Alter scored three straight, and increased their lead to 9-2 and 14-6. And after a kill by Hammond, Fisher commenced a rally in which she hit four kills and blocked a tip, while Hausfeld served nine points.
West Holmes coach said afterward that their plan was to serve tough, and that did not happen. Jasinowski, on the other hand, said “what you saw is pretty much what we planned to accomplish”. She said her team executed well, adding “maybe not the best we can do, but we’re saving that for tomorrow”.
Speaking of tomorrow, which is now today, Alter and Walsh Jesuit will see a lot of each other. Their boys soccer teams will meet in a state final at 11:00A.M., and the girls volleyball final between the two schools will be the third match of four.
Walsh Jesuit is also in a girls soccer final in the evening, meaning the school could win three state titles in one day!