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Magnificat advances with hard fought win over Bowling Green

November 1, 2007

By Jim Jicha

Rocky River Magnificat took a hard fought straight set 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 decision from the Bowling Green Bobcats last night in a regional semifinal played at Norwalk High School. The 22-4 Blue Streaks led much of game one and most of game two but could not shake the Bobcats. BeeGee led a good part of a seesaw game three.

Assistant Magnificat Coach Mike Kennedy said afterward “We played well and did what we needed to do at the right times”. He added that both teams played “awesome fundamental defense”.

That they did, and there were lots of extended volleys in this match.

Outside hitter Kristen Kidd scored the first point with a spike off the block, but the Bobcats followed with kills by sophomore Ashley Dunn and 6’2” senior Ashley Horak. Kidd tied it, but a spike by Dunn was blocked over and out and Horak and Katie Stoots teamed on a block to give BeeGee a 4-2 lead.

Blue Streak setter Kristen Dubroy ended a very intense volley with a hit off the blocker to tie at 5 and Bobcat setter spiked from back court for what turned out was the Bobcats’ final lead.

A BeeGee hitting error followed and Dubroy served five points, scoring two aces, with junior outside Vicky Cichocki adding a kill down the left line. Bowling Green rallied to within 13-10 behind blocks from Dunn, and a save by Stoots. Two Blue Streak errors reduced their lead to 14-12.

But Magnificat scored three straight, and the teams traded four points apiece, giving the Blue Streaks a more comfortable 21-16 lead.

BeeGee closed the gap again with three points, as Nelson popped a hit to the right corner, libero Lauren Rex dug a blast from Kidd, Dunn blocked and 6’0” middle Kathy Bibler spiked a kill down the middle.

Unfortunately, Bowling Green’s hopes for a rally were undone by miscues, sandwiched between kills by Bibler and Horak that left Magnificat on top 23-21.

And at that juncture, 6’1” senior Michelle Matia took the Blue Streaks up to match point with a spike to back middle. Kidd followed with a game winning ace. 

Game two was tied five times to 5-5, with Magnificat led by Matia and Kidd, Bowling Green by Horak and Kelsey Nohrman-Rader.

Magnificat scored two quick points, but the Bobcats tied it again at 10 on a tip by Dunn. Magnificat, however, would lead from thereon.

Kidd demolished a Dubroy short set and scored on a block. BeeGee stayed within two for awhile, but a blast by 5’10” sophomore middle Michelle Chakirelis, which began life as a great pass from libero Mary Lambert, put the Blue Streaks up 18-14, and they soon led 20-15.

The stubborn Bobcats stayed in it, however, closing to 23-22 on a kill by Rex from back court and a booming block by Horak on Matia.

Dubroy nipped the threat by converting a too-near-the-net teammate’s pass into a perfect dump, and a long Bobcat hit ended the game.

Undeterred, the pesky Bobcats came out fighting in game three. Stoots started a four point run with a kill that ended an extremely long volley which featured many saves on both sides. Horak drilled a Nelson short set into a corner and Stoots scored on a cross court spike that the Blue Streaks could not return.

Down 7-3, Magnificat came up with a 6-1 run, led by Cichocki and Chakirelis. Stoots tied it with a kill, and served five straight including an ace, as Dunn scored off two well placed hits. Magnificat retorted with four straight on kills by Chakirelis and Kidd, and an ace from defensive specialist Rachel Gulasey.

That left the Bobcats up 14-13, and they kept ahead to 18-16 on a cross court point by Horak.

At this point Kidd took charge, delivering a spike down the left to the back line. She then served and passed like crazy while Cichocki and Matia scored kills and teamed up on a block.

The Blue Streaks were now ahead 20-18, but that didn’t last as Stoots blocked Matia. The next volley was long and intense. Lambert had at least three digs and Blue Streak defensive specialist Meghan Curran saved a Bobcat dump. But Stoots finally ended it in BeeGee's favor with a cross court spike.

After a Magnificat hitting error and a kill by Horak, the Bobcats were back on top 22-20. And following a Magnificat spike that was dug into the net, Horak clobbered a straight down kill to make it 23-21.

But, alas, an untimely long serve gave Magnificat an opportunity and their defense, along with Cichocki, made the best of it.

Kidd and Lambert kept the next volley alive until Cichocki finally blasted a cross court kill. Cichocki encored that by backhanding a seemingly unplayable save from a teammate into the Bobcats’ backcourt. She brought the curtain down on Bowling Green's 24-2 season with a cross court smash to back middle that was dug out.

Magnificat advances to Saturday’s regional final against Amherst Steele, a team they barely nipped 15-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-10, 16-14 on opening day in August.

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Stats: Magnificat had a balanced attack. Vicky Cichocki led all hitters with 13 kills, Kristen Kidd and Michelle Chakirelis contributed 9, and Michelle Matia added 8. Michelle Matia led all blockers with 9 total, including 3 solo.

Setter Kristen DuBroy had 40 assists.

Defensively, libero Mary Lambert and Kristen Kidd led with 24 digs, followed by Meghan Curran with 15, Rachel Gulasey and Kristen DuBroy with 11 each.