Article published Oct 19, 2007
Knights, Zebras
survive slow starts
MATT KOPSEA
Tribune Staff Writer
PLYMOUTH -- Slow starts didn't keep the Marian and Rochester volleyball teams from accomplishing their missions Thursday night.
Katie Britton led a balanced attack with 15 kills and four blocks, leading top-ranked Marian past Culver Girls Academy, 25-17, 25-10, 25-8 in opening-round play of the Class 3-A Plymouth High School Sectional.
In the nightcap, Kayla Lowry tallied 18 digs and eight kills, lifting Rochester to a 25-19, 25-16, 25-16 triumph over Glenn.
Action resumes at 11 a.m. Saturday at Plymouth High School with St. Joseph's (23-9) battling Plymouth (18-16) in the first semifinal match. Marian (30-4) and Rochester (18-16) meet in the second contest around 12:30 p.m. The finale gets underway at 7 p.m.
"We walked off the bus sluggish and it showed in that first game," said Marian coach Dan Anderson. "After that, we started playing more aggressively at the net and did a much better job of digging after balls."
This was evident as the Knights used an 15-3 run to seize command of the second game, and then raced out to a 12-4 advantage in the final game.
"The two things we wanted to accomplish were better blocking at the net and cut down our bad serves," said CGA coach Lori Elliott. "We did that in the first game and were right in there with them, but not after that."Melissa Kowalinski had 13 digs and three kills to pace the Eagles.
Stephanie Kreager chipped in 11 kills and Katie Mishler added 33 assists for Marian.
"We could have played a lot better and tougher than we did tonight," Anderson added. "We're going to have to from here on, because things are only going to get tougher for us. We've got to come out fired up and play with more intensity right from the start."
MARIAN BEAT CULVER GIRLS ACADEMY, 25-17, 25-10, 25-8
At PlymouthKills: Katie Britton (M) 15, Stephanie Kreager (M) 11, Melissa Kowalinski (CGA) 3, Mary Saran (CGA) 2.
Assists: Katie Mishler (M) 33, Kristen Stafford (CGA) 3.
Blocks: Britton (M) 4, Saran (CGA) 5, Celete Kato (CGA) 4, Stafford (CGA) 4.
Aces: Claire Farkas (M) 3.
Digs: Kathleen Chelminiak (M) 16, Kowalinski (CGA) 13, Mariah Taber (CGA) 10, Mindy Privett (CGA) 9.Records: Marian 30-4, CGA 14-10.
Rochester 3, Glenn 0: The Zebras definitely had their hands full
as Glenn (3-27) opened up a 9-4 cushion to start the match.
Solid serving from the 5-7 senior Lowry couldn't have come at a better
time as Rochester used a 17-6 run to get back on track.
"It looked like we played tentative and were very cautious early
on," said Rochester coach Katie Felke. "After we got those
jitters from the first game out, though, we settled down and played with
much more confidence."
Behind the play of Kelsey Kosinski (nine kills and seven digs), the
Falcons hung in there for as long as they could before Lowry and Audrey
Miller (10 kills) took over."We played well in spurts, but just
couldn't seem to get over the hump when we needed to," said Glenn
coach Megan Maure. "We battled them as hard as we could, but they
made the big plays when they needed to."
Brittany Adkins had 23 assists for Glenn and Jessica Shafer added 22 for
Rochester.
ROCHESTER BEAT GLENN, 25-19, 25-16, 25-16
At Plymouth
Kills: Audrey Miller (R) 10, Kayla Lowry (R) 8, Kelsey Kosinski (G) 9,
Casandra Einhorn (G) 6.Assists: Jessica Shafer (R) 22, Brittany Adkins (G)
23.
Aces: Ryan Burkett (R) 2, Alexandra Schleg (G) 2.
Digs: Lowry (R) 18, Bailey Quick (R) 13, Shafer (R) 12, Burkett (R) 11.
Emily Traversa (G) 17
Records: Rochester 17-15, Glenn 3-27.
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