Roncalli celebrates its Class 3A Greenfield Regional championship after defeating rival Cathedral 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-19). The Royals journey to the Jasper Semistate to face Brownstown Central at 10 a.m. Saturday with the winner squaring off against the Jasper vs. Tri-West winner at 7 p.m. to travel to the State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Royals are the defending 3A state champs.
(PHOTO BY JOHN SMITH)
(PHOTO BY JOHN SMITH)
By Al Stilley, Editor
Roncalli’s girls’ volleyball team rediscovered its high energy for a come-from-behind triumph Saturday against rival Cathedral to capture the IHSAA 3A Greenfield Regional championship.
The defending 3A state champion Royals lost their first set to Cathedral 25-23 after having a commanding 21-16 lead. Roncalli came back and won the next three sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-19) and the regional trophy.
“We came in here wanting it (championship) so badly (because) we had lost to them twice,” Roncalli senior outside hitter Grace Troxell said. “We were in the huddle and realized our energy was down. What I said was that we have to have high energy. When we have high energy, we play absolutely amazing.”
The Royals (30-5) advance to the 4A Jasper Semistate where they face Brownstown Central in the second match at noon. The winner meets the 10 a.m. Jasper vs. Tri-West winner at 7 p.m. with the winner advancing to the state finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Greenwood Christian Academy is the second Southside team to advance to the semifinal round. GCA is the champion of the 1A Regional at Monrovia.
The Cougars meet Trinity Lutheran at noon in the second match at Jennings County. The winner meets the 10 a.m. Springs Valley vs. Loogoottee winner for the championship at 7 p.m.
At Greenfield Saturday, the 5-10 Troxell excelled in her playoff switch by veteran coach Christina Erazmus to outside hitter from middle blocker. She had 15 kills against the Irish (23-10), including her third kill of the match to open the second set.
“Usually I play middle (blocker), but today my mentality was to just put it away,” said Troxell who had several timely aces. “I don’t think Cathedral knew where the ball was coming from.”
The Royals were led by seniors Lydia Stahley with 21 kills and libero Reagan Turk with 22 digs. Outstanding freshman setter Norah Bell had 56 assists.
Stahley opened the regional with five kills in the first set and continued her “killer instinct” for the next three sets.
“I think we realized our season was on the line and we had to fight harder than we were,” Stahley said after the first set loss to the Irish. “We knew they (Cathedral) were not going to let up, so we had to fight harder to win this time. We had to get the next three.”
And that’s exactly what the Royals did. They fought hard to gain control of the second set, but not until Stahley’s kill to break a 17-17 tie and close with an 8-4 surge.
In the third set, Roncalli kept rolling with a 7-2 lead that mushroomed to a 20-8 lead on sophomore Ava Stone’s block. The Royals also dominated the fourth set against the frustrated Irish, snaring an early 9-2 surge on four aces and a kill by Troxell, and two kills by Stahley, each with assists from Bell.
In the nightcap at Greenfield in a 4A Regional championship, Center Grove won two of the first three sets but could not string together enough points for a comeback against Yorktown (25-7) in the fourth.
In the fourth set, the Trojans finally grabbed leads of 22-21 on freshman Gabby Gilliard’s kill from the middle of the back row and 23-22 on junior Kaelyn Groce’s block. The Tigers recovered with a kill and an ace and then controlled the fifth set 15-8.
Gilliard had her coming out match with 20 kills, senior Natalie Vance had 14 kills and six blocks, and Kaylen Plunkard 11 kills. Junior Anabelle Schembra had 48 assists.
The loss and a controversial line call in the fourth set left coach Jennifer Gandolph Hawk speechless after the match.
The Trojans finish (26-10) and lose only three seniors (Merriman, Vance, and Gracyn Gilliard) and return a strong junior class along with freshman Gabby Gilliard.
At Monrovia, youthful GCA totally dominated International 3-0 (25-7, 25-15, 25-8).
The Cougars are 21-12 and have won eight consecutive matches. GCA has two senior frontliners Addie Smith and Izzy Snell available for the playoffs with classmate setter Aiva Kresge out with an injury. The Cougars have sectional and regional championships with two juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen.
Info: ihsaa.org
The defending 3A state champion Royals lost their first set to Cathedral 25-23 after having a commanding 21-16 lead. Roncalli came back and won the next three sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-19) and the regional trophy.
“We came in here wanting it (championship) so badly (because) we had lost to them twice,” Roncalli senior outside hitter Grace Troxell said. “We were in the huddle and realized our energy was down. What I said was that we have to have high energy. When we have high energy, we play absolutely amazing.”
The Royals (30-5) advance to the 4A Jasper Semistate where they face Brownstown Central in the second match at noon. The winner meets the 10 a.m. Jasper vs. Tri-West winner at 7 p.m. with the winner advancing to the state finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Greenwood Christian Academy is the second Southside team to advance to the semifinal round. GCA is the champion of the 1A Regional at Monrovia.
The Cougars meet Trinity Lutheran at noon in the second match at Jennings County. The winner meets the 10 a.m. Springs Valley vs. Loogoottee winner for the championship at 7 p.m.
At Greenfield Saturday, the 5-10 Troxell excelled in her playoff switch by veteran coach Christina Erazmus to outside hitter from middle blocker. She had 15 kills against the Irish (23-10), including her third kill of the match to open the second set.
“Usually I play middle (blocker), but today my mentality was to just put it away,” said Troxell who had several timely aces. “I don’t think Cathedral knew where the ball was coming from.”
The Royals were led by seniors Lydia Stahley with 21 kills and libero Reagan Turk with 22 digs. Outstanding freshman setter Norah Bell had 56 assists.
Stahley opened the regional with five kills in the first set and continued her “killer instinct” for the next three sets.
“I think we realized our season was on the line and we had to fight harder than we were,” Stahley said after the first set loss to the Irish. “We knew they (Cathedral) were not going to let up, so we had to fight harder to win this time. We had to get the next three.”
And that’s exactly what the Royals did. They fought hard to gain control of the second set, but not until Stahley’s kill to break a 17-17 tie and close with an 8-4 surge.
In the third set, Roncalli kept rolling with a 7-2 lead that mushroomed to a 20-8 lead on sophomore Ava Stone’s block. The Royals also dominated the fourth set against the frustrated Irish, snaring an early 9-2 surge on four aces and a kill by Troxell, and two kills by Stahley, each with assists from Bell.
In the nightcap at Greenfield in a 4A Regional championship, Center Grove won two of the first three sets but could not string together enough points for a comeback against Yorktown (25-7) in the fourth.
In the fourth set, the Trojans finally grabbed leads of 22-21 on freshman Gabby Gilliard’s kill from the middle of the back row and 23-22 on junior Kaelyn Groce’s block. The Tigers recovered with a kill and an ace and then controlled the fifth set 15-8.
Gilliard had her coming out match with 20 kills, senior Natalie Vance had 14 kills and six blocks, and Kaylen Plunkard 11 kills. Junior Anabelle Schembra had 48 assists.
The loss and a controversial line call in the fourth set left coach Jennifer Gandolph Hawk speechless after the match.
The Trojans finish (26-10) and lose only three seniors (Merriman, Vance, and Gracyn Gilliard) and return a strong junior class along with freshman Gabby Gilliard.
At Monrovia, youthful GCA totally dominated International 3-0 (25-7, 25-15, 25-8).
The Cougars are 21-12 and have won eight consecutive matches. GCA has two senior frontliners Addie Smith and Izzy Snell available for the playoffs with classmate setter Aiva Kresge out with an injury. The Cougars have sectional and regional championships with two juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen.
Info: ihsaa.org
Greenwood Christian Academy's girls' volleyball celebrate their Class A Monrovia Regional championship as Kate Reed holds the title trophy. The Cougars swept International 3-0 (25-8-15, 25-7). GCA travels to the Jennings County Semistate to play Trinity Lutheran at 10 a.m. Saturday with the winner meeting the Springs Valley-Loogootee winner for the championship at 7 p.m. and a trip to the State Finals Nov. 8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
(SUBMITTED PHOTO)
(SUBMITTED PHOTO)
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