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10/01/02

Cincinnati St. Ursula Cliches Title...

For the second time this season the Cincinnati St. Ursula Bulldogs won a three game nail biter over league rival Cincinnati Ursuline. The first time the score was 6-15, 15-6, 20-18. This time it was 13-15, 15-12, 15-11. With the win the Bulldogs virtually clinched sole possession of the GGCL Div. I title, with a two match lead and only two matches left to play.

The match was played at St. Xavier before an estimated crowd of 1000 people on a hot muggy evening that felt more like late August than the first of October. It had a State Championship flair, with the Bulldog and Lion student bodies out in full force waving pom-poms, their faces painted in school colors. The students sat at each end of the gym, and after each serve the screaming followed the ball as a volley progressed (and there were some long, intense volleys). For two of the games, the servers found themselves backed up against 250 shrieking fans of the opposing team.

The teams battled fairly evenly most of the way. St. Ursula went on a four point run to take a 7-3 lead in game one. Ursuline tied the match at 8 on a block that boomed into the Bulldogs' backcourt. St. Ursula pulled ahead again, 11-9 and 12-11 but the Lions scored three in a row. Game point came after five sideouts with the Lions on top 14-13.

The second game was nip and tuck all the way. Ursuline led 3-1, 9-7, and in between the Bulldogs led 6-4. The Lions' last lead was 10-9 and then the Bulldogs went ahead for good. The final game was tied at 3, 5 and 9. St. Ursula always led when it wasn't tied, but the win did not come easily. From the time the Bulldogs took a 12-9 lead there were 14 sideouts, six of them coming with the Bulldogs up 14-9.

In the first two games, Ursuline was very effective at hitting cross court from the strong side, but in the final St. Ursula shut that down with blocks, and partial blocks that they set up for kills.