No. 8 Norfolk catholic continued to accelerate down the home-stretch of the 2018 season with a convincing straight-sets victory Monday over No. 7 Pierce 25-23, 25-23, 28-18 in the quarter-finals of the Mid-State Conference tournament here.
The contest was what one would expect from a four versus five seed matchup with long rallies, neither team giving an inch and both teams playing well enough to win.
The Knights opened the year with seven straight losses including two to Pierce. Since then, they're 11-7 with victories over Lutheran High Northeast, Battle Creek, O'Neill and now Pierce.
"The girls are more comfortable in what we're trying to do," Norfolk Catholic coach Michaela Barry said. "They come to practice and work hard and I think just getting more ball touches has really helped them."
The first two sets were roller-coaster affairs as one team would secure the momentum and just as quickly surrender it.
Pierce used its serve to keep Norfolk Catholic out of system and generated offense from Knight free balls.
"That's something we've been talking about throughout the course of the season," Barry said. "If we don't get that ball, we've got to move on and get the next one. It's always got to be next-ball mentality and 'What I can do to batter that ball?'"
With the Lady Jays leading 15-12, the Knights' Anna Neuhalfen recorded three straight kills: the first from the back row, the second off the block and the third via a tip.
Pierce's Maggie Brahmer answered with a kill and service ace to give the Lady Jays a lead that eventually stretched to 20-15.
After a Katrina Meier kill, Pierce led 23-20, but Norfolk Catholic scored the next five points that included a Carly Marshall kill and service ace and a solo block and kill from Mary Fennessy.
"Mary Fennessy is awesome," a proud Barry said. "She's come a long way with her hitting and timing."
Pierce led the second set 21-19 when the Knights' Hayden Wolf scored three of the next four points with kills to give Norfolk Catholic a 23-21 lead.
Pierce's Rhayna Waldner faked setting the ball and found an open spot in the Knight defense to make it 23-22, but a Pierce attach error gave Norfolk Catholic a set point.
The Lady Jays responded with a Waldner kill from the back row, but Fennessy's kill off the block gave Norfolk Catholic the second set victory.
"You have to hand it to Norfolk Catholic, they came out ready to play," Pierce coach Brittany Weber said. "Their offense was too much for our defense to handle."
Barry praised her squad's crunch-time resiliency. "They could've easily just thrown in the towel and at the beginning of the year; they probably would have," she said. "But they've overcome that and have shown real toughness."
Norfolk Catholic led the third set 14-13 when the Knights went on a 7-0 run that included a pair of Abby Miller blocks, two Miller kills and a Neuhalfen service ace.
Brahmer gave Pierce hope with a kill and service ace as the Lady Jays scored the next four points to make the score 21-17.
But after Norfolk Catholic called timeout, the Knights scored four of the next five points and ended the evening with a Neuhalfen kill.
"Offensively, we got into a tip game with them," Weber said. "That is not our offense. Our offense is to hit the ball, so when we started tipping we were constantly the team on defense."
Norfolk Catholic moves into the Tuesday night's 6 p.m. semi-final at Pierce against top-seeded Wayne. The Lady Jays battle West Point Guardian Angels Central Catholic in a consolation semifinal matchup at Norfolk Catholic, also at 6 p.m.
"We talked to the girls about sticking together," Weber said. "If everybody fixes their own mistakes, as a team we'll come together and have a new team tomorrow."
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