Trojans sweep Norfolk Catholic; five sets needed in third-, fifth-place matches
The clock struck midnight for Norfolk Catholic's Cinderella week as Hartington Cedar Catholic swept the Knights in the championship match of the Mid-State Conference volleyball tournament here 25-15, 25-21, 25-14.
Norfolk Catholic had defeated Pierce and Wayne earlier in the week to advance to the title match despite a 12-14 record.
The large, boisterous crowd was into the match early as both teams committed multiple errors while trying to calm their nerves for the long haul.
With the score even at 6, Cedar Catholic went on a 4-0 run, the result of three Norfolk Catholic errors and a floor-denting kill by Maddie Wieseler.
The Trojans steadily added to their lead and closed out the first set with a pair of Abby Hochstein kills.
Cedar coach Denae Buss was pleased with her team's cohesiveness and intensity. "I though we played together and aggressive. I didn't think we tipped too much, hitting a little bit more," she said.
The second set proved to be the most competitive of the three. The Knights led early but couldn't get out of their own way, committing a combined 13 service and attack errors.
Norfolk Catholic coach Michaela Barry said she felt her team played timidly at times. "We kind of let how good Hartington was intimidate us and how we played our game," she said. "Credit Cedar Catholic - they're a phenomenal team, but I don't think we played our game and how aggressive we wanted to."
Norfolk Catholic jumped out to a 6-2 led in the second set, but the Trojans soon pulled even as junior middle Kenlee Goeden strung together two kills and a block and Jada Cattau followed with a service ace to tie it up.
The Trojans took the lead for good at 9-8 and steadily built on that margin until late in the set when Norfolk Catholic pulled to within 23-21 following a Mary Fennessy kill and two Cedar attack errors.
But a Norfolk Catholic hitting violation gave the Trojans a set point and Cattau took advantage with a kill.
The third set was all Trojans as they jumped out to a 7-1 lead and rode that momentum the entire way. Cattau's kill on a Norfolk Catholic overpass brought the tournament to an end.
"Hartington is a very good volleyball team. I mean they're fun to watch," Barry said. "They play well together, they click together, but I'm proud of our girls for where they've gotten."
Buss was asked to compare the Norfolk Catholic team her squad had defeated earlier in the season and the one that played for the conference title.
"They're night and day," she said. "Coach Barry has really gotten them going; they believe they can do it and they're pretty tough."
Both teams now turn their attention to subdistrict tournaments that start Monday. Norfolk Catholic has drawn 6-21 Madison in a 4:30 opening round match of C2-6 at Wisner-Pilger. The winner will then turn around to take on 26-1 Stanton in the semifinals at 7:30.
Barry said her team will focus these next few days on recovering.
"Three volleyball games this last week, it's been a lot for the girls," she said.
"Just focusing on recovering and getting ready to play some of our best volleyball hopefully and at this point you've got to give it all you've got because if you don't, you're done."
Meanwhile, Cedar Catholic is the top seed of the C2-7 subdistrict at Wayne. The Trojans will square off with either 12-19 Homer or 9-19 Winnebago in the semifinals on Monday at 7.
Buss said playing a team like Norfolk Catholic will help her team prepare for postseason play. "They've been playing so well that you have to mentally prepare; you can't just take a night off. It really helps when you play a good team," she said.
Earlier in the evening, O'Neill earned fifth place with a 25-22, 15-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11 victory over Pierce and Wayne garnered third by defeating Battle Creek 25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 18-25, 15-13.
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