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Magnificat wins first Showcase since 2000

September 18, 2005

By Jim Jicha

Rocky River Magnificat defeated Cincinnati Seton last week 25-20, 27-25 to win their Fall Showcase for the first time since 2000. Key to Magnificat’s victory was a very balanced and tough defense, and the hitting of outside hitter Sarah Petrulis who came up with several timely kills to keep Magnificat on course.

Winning the Fall Showcase is special to Magnificat, and not just because it’s their own. This is one of the premier tournaments in the state.

But beating Seton was also special. The Saints won the Showcase last year and were coming back loaded with five college recruits.

Middle hitter Emily Sullivan has committed to Marshall, outside/middle Megan Griffin to Miami University, setter Chelsea Graman to Villanova, defensive specialist Maggie Bonomini to Cleveland State, and libero Kelly Walter to Findlay. Against a lineup like that the Blue Streaks had their work cut.

Magnificat led most of the way in a close game one, and they led much of game two for that matter, but the outcome was always in doubt. The Blue Streaks saw a 19-12 lead in game two vanish during an incredible Seton rally that had the home fans squirming.

Jessica Artman started the day’s scoring for Magnificat, and after Seton middle Megan Griffin pounded two kills, Artman and Blue Streaks setter Kristen Dubroy clobbered Saints’ overpasses to give the hosts a 4-2 lead.

Seton went up 5-4 and there were two ties, before kills by Mary Petrulis and Clare Keeney gave Magnificat a 9-7 lead which they never relinquished.

Gina Coffaro pounded a kill down the line for Seton, but the Blue Streaks went up 12-8 thanks to a couple of Seton errors, a great save by Samantha Leonard and a block by Artman.

When Seton narrowed the gap to 13-11, Sarah Petrulis teamed with Artman on a block, and then blocked a tip by Griffin. Chelsea Graham spiked a kill for Seton and junior Bridget Palcko reposted for Magnificat as scoring went back and forth. Sarah Petrulis smashed a kill from back court, bringing her to the front row as Magnificat went up 21-16.

Seton rallied to 19-21 on kills by Lindsey Svec and Graham. But Petrulis ended that threat with a blast down the line, and after a Seton error, hit a termination shot in the middle. A Seton point later, the versatile Petrulis popped a tip into a hole for the win.

Griffin got the Saints off to a 2-1 game two lead with a spike and tip, but Artman and Sarah Petrulis scored and Carly Syms added an ace. Seton tied at 4-4 when Becky Hendrian, and then Coffaro, blocked Petrulis.

Magnificat kept their poise, however, as Artman scored a kill, Palcko blocked for a point, the Saints hit one out and Petrulis slammed a kill through a double block. That put Magnificat up 8-4, and after some back and forth, they were up 15-11.

Griffin blocked Artman to end a great volley that featured some heads up saves on both sides, but any hopes that might change momentum were dashed when the Saints were called for a lift on the next play. Alex Feltes served three points to put Magnificat up 19-12.

At this juncture, Griffin came up with another big play, scoring on a slide right off a nice set by Graman. She then served up an ace, which begat a huge rally as Magnificat hit one out, Griffin served another ace, Coffaro spiked a kill through the block, and middle hitter Emily Sullivan smacked two kills. On the next play Griffin dug a Petrulis smash and soon after Magnificat was called for four hits, putting Seton on top 20-19.

Petrulis came right back and scored on a spike through the double block. However, Sullivan retorted with a kill and when Magnificat followed with two errors, one coming after a diving save by Graman, a tiebreaker game seemed in store.

But Petrulis was having none of that and she scored another kill and followed up with an ace. Keeney added a kill and when a spike by Mary Petrulis rolled off the net into a Seton hole the Blue Streaks were on the verge of victory at 24-23.

Sullivan kept Seton alive twice, as she cratered a spike to tie, and after Palcko nailed one cross court to the opposite line, tipped for a point. With the score at 25-all, Artman put Magnificat up again, and when defensive specialist Carly Tobin’s serve was dug out of bounds, the Blue Streaks had won their own tournament.

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Seton survived a first game scare in the semifinal to beat Austintown Fitch 27-25, 25-10. The Saints committed four hitting errors to start the match, and after a kill by Fitch hitter Rachel Ducay, two aces from freshman Michelle Basista, and a kill by outside Meghan McDermott, they found themselves in a 3-9 hole.

Griffin scored a kill and then served a five point rally, and Seton tied at 10 on two kills by Sullivan. They even went up 15-13 on three kills from Griffin, only to see the Falcons score five straight on Basista’s next trip to the line.

Griffin led Seton back on top 21-20, after which Fitch star setter/hitter Caitlin O”Patchen and Sullivan traded kills. The teams continued to exchange points, with Seton scoring twice despite repeated digs by Fitch. With the score tied at 25, Coffaro blasted one that could not be dug and Fitch hit their next one out, ending the game.

In game two, Seton took a 7-4 lead, and increased it to 10-5 and 20-6 as Griffin pounded out six kills and Maggie Bonomini served six points.

Magnificat won their semifinal over Parma Holy Name 25-15, 25-17. Game one was tied eight times en route to a 9-9 score, as Amy McCarthy, Steph Zelasko, Aimee McGoun and Allison Barbo each scored kills for the Green Wave. Magnificat began pulling away after three kills by Sarah Petrulis, and they used a 9-1 run to go up 23-12, behind the serving of Petrulis and Palcko. Mary Petrulis scored a tip for the game winner.

With Magnificat up 20-16 in game two, junior outside Christin Fedor scored a kill and Sarah Petrulis served an ace. The Blue Streaks prevailed despite Holy Name kills by Megon Kelly and Alyssa Reinhart.

Holy Name nipped Fitch 26-24, 25-23 in an exciting match for third place that featured two late-game rallies. The Green Wave came back from 19-24 in game one, and staved off a Falcon rally from 15-23 game two.

Fitch was ahead 22-15 in game one when they lifted a spike from Reinhart, who then served up three points. But things seemed under control when Ducay blocked a tip and then served an ace, moving Fitch to game point.

That’s when the roof fell in. With the play getting frantic, Holy Name middle Steph Zelasko hit a clutch fist pop over everyone to the Falcons’ backcourt, and the Falcons followed with three hitting errors. Holy Name libero Aimee McGoun kept the next volley alive with some nice digs long enough for Allison Barbo to tie it up with a smash to back court. Barbo and Zelasko teamed up for a go ahead block, and Barbo’s next spike was blocked out of bounds to end the game.

Game two found Holy Name sailing in smooth water to a 22-13 lead after an ace serve by outside Amy McCarthy. McDermott scored for Fitch and Holy Name hit one out, but Zelasko scored to make it 23-15.

But when Holy Name hit another spike long, Megan Williams went to the line,  and she served an ace. O’Patchen scored a block, dump, tip and another dump, and the Green Wave found themselves in whitewater. Holy Name hit another one out and when defensive specialist Emily Woodall’s dig dropped in the Green Wave back court the game was tied.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, an untimely long serve ended the rally, and a block by Reinhart ended the match.

Sylvania Northview defeated Norwalk in a round two consolation match 25-23, 25-19. Norwalk used a six point rally to move ahead 20-17 in game one, as Kristin Ciersezwski served two aces and sophomore setter Lauren Simons spiked an overpass. Senior outside hitter Meagan Schoenrock ended that run, but Norwalk’s Lisa Lee responded with a perfectly placed two handed cross court hit.

The Lady Kats rallied from 19-22 as sophomore Sarah Mignin spiked a kill, Schoenrock scored on a booming block, Emily Navarre served up an ace and sophomore Megan Ozarazak scored a kill.

Northview led most of game two. Norwalk rallied for three and closed to 18-22 on a tip by sophomore Jessica Winkelman, but kills by Ozarazak and Schoenrock ended the match in favor of the Kats.

Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin gave Fitch a run for their money in round one before falling 25-20, 25-21. Game one was tied at 17 and game two at 19 before Fitch pulled away.

The Lions were down two players with sophomore middle Kara Stefanov out with a separated shoulder, and senior rightside Brittany Pestak attending a funeral. Junior middle Sara Nocero and sophomore Gretchen D’Arcangelo led the Lions. O’Patchen scored four of Fitch’s final six points on two tips and two dumps.

NDCL defeated St. Joseph Academy in a second round consolation, winning game one on a kill by senior outside Elena Klochak, and surviving a game two Jaguar rally led by outside hitter Katie Lehane.

However, Schoenrock and Ozarazak proved to be too much for NDCL in the match for fifth, as Northview won 25-15, 25-15. The Lady Kats led all of game one and raced to a 17-6 lead in game two.

St. Joseph Academy nipped Norwalk for seventh place 27-25, 25-22. Norwalk took a 6-3 lead in game one, and led for a long time while the teams traded points. Lisa Lee and Lauren Simon gave Norwalk their biggest margin at 16-11.

But the Ladies in Blue could not hold on as Rachel Nahrstedt scored for St. Joseph, and three Norwalk errors cut their lead to 17-15. After Jess Wallace scored one more for Norwalk, Cassandra Rodriguez started a 3-point St. Joseph run that tied it.

Norwalk went up 22-19, but Lehane fueled another 3-point run. Norwalk took three more leads but Nahrstedt tied it at 24 and again at 25, and after a long Norwalk hit gave her team the lead, she pounded down the winner.

Game two was tied several times. Winkelman hit three kills in a row to give Norwalk a 16-15 edge. Lehane tied it with a kill, but a block by Megan Sellers and an overpass kill by Simon put Norwalk up by two, as the teams traded points to make it 19-17. The Jaguars scored three to retake the lead, and moved ahead 24-21. Lee killed an overpass for Norwalk’s final point. Rodriguez tipped for the match winner off a great back set from junior Meredith McDiarmid.