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Friars, Kellenberg punch ticket to CHSAA finals
Talk about drama.
St. Anthony’s girls volleyball definitely made it exciting and punched its ticket to the CHSAA finals with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Holy Trinity (25-22, 25-21, 16-25, 22-25, 27-25) after giving up an early 2-0 lead.
With both teams tied at two games apiece as Holy Trinity stormed back with two straight wins, the Friars got out to an early 14-7 lead in the fifth and deciding game. However, just as they had given up their two-game lead, the Friars had given up their game five lead and saw Holy Trinity storm back to tie it at 15-15.
Both teams kept returning serve and took it into extra points, as the Friars edged out a 27-25 victory to advance to the finals.
We just had to stick together and work hard and not lose faith in each other,” said St. Anthony’s Johanna Impellizeri. “We had each other’s backs.”
The Friars struck first in Game 1 and looked strong at the net, riding he wave of 12 over kills in the opening meeting. It was a fairly even contest for most of the first game, but the Friars broke it open late tied at 16 points apiece on the strength of libero Nicole Stratton and six straight service points to take a 22-16 advantage. The Titans made it close, but the Friars would end up on top, 25-22.
The second game would see more of the Friars strong at the net, as they would rack up 14 more kills en route to a 25-21 Game 2 victory and a strong 2-0 advantage.
But Holy Trinity wouldn’t go away easily.
The Titans stormed back with a strong net presence of their own, except on the defensive side, totaling five blocks in the third game en route to a 25-16 win, and then equalized it by taking Game 4, 25-22.
Holy Trinity made it interesting in the fifth game, and had two match points to pull off a victory. However the Friars pulled the victory out and will play Kellenberg in the finals.
Impellizeri believes if her team matches its effort against Holy Trinity, the results should be rewarding.
“If we play like we did today, hopefully it should work out.”
Kellenberg blanks Sacred Heart
The Firebirds of Kellenberg Memorial High School came into the CHSAA tournament as the number one seed -- and they sure played like one. Kellenberg swept Sacred Heart in three straight, 25-17, 25-19, 25-15.
Melanie McGuirk led Kellenberg with 11 kills, four blocks, three aces and an assist in the victory.
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