(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
Editor
After a two-year drought, Roncalli’s girls’ volleyball team seized the Marion County championship trophy Saturday at Southport Fieldhouse.
The 4A No. 6 Royals swept tall and talented 4A No. 17 North Central 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-16). Although the Panthers challenged Roncalli, the Royals stayed in command throughout all three sets.
The difference in this high noon showdown was Roncalli’s quickness in the back row and aggressiveness at the net where coach Christina Erazmus constantly moved junior outside hitter Logan Bell around.
Senior libero/defensive specialist Aly Kirkhoff explained, “Our serve-receive was on point and we were really scrappy; no ball was going to touch the ground on our side unless we were on the ground with it. We did a really good job in the back row.”
Bell led the Royals’ attack with an unofficial 17 kills that kept the Panthers’ front line on their heels.
Sophomore Lydia Stahley had nine kills and Mackenzie Kruer added four kills, unofficially.
Kirkhoff and Bell have played volleyball together since they were 11 years old. The 1-2 punch showed their experience and savvy Saturday as Kirkhoff led the back row with her quickness and experience and Bell led at the net with her power.
“Our service pressure made it a lot easier for us to succeed today,” Kirkhoff said.
So many times, the deep back row of Kirkhoff, seniors Aubrey Silcox, Ella Guilfoy, and Katie Smith, junior Eva Hurrle, and sophomore Lily Jones negated many power hits from the Panthers’ senior outside hitter Alaleh Tolliver with their digs.
“We’re really deep in the back row,” coach Erazmus said. “It helps us stay in system and makes it easy for our setter to dish it out to our big hitters. Our net play was a big factor and our defense hung in there.”
The Royals never trailed North Central in the first set that was deadlocked only once. Roncalli enjoyed four leads of seven points, the first time 17-10 on a 4-0 run with Bell getting two kills, Lydia Stahley’s block, and Ella Guilfoy’s ace. Bell appropriately scored the winning point in the first set, 25-20.
The hungry Panthers opened the second set with a 6-3 lead on Addison Decker’s kill. Roncalli battled back and tied it five times before taking a permanent lead 16-15 on Stahley’s second consecutive kill.
Late in the third set, the Panthers (23-5) had seen enough as the Royals broke from a 9-9 deadlock to a dominating 15-9 lead on two kills by Bell, a kill and a block by Mackenzie Kruer, and an out of bounds hit by NC. Another Bell kill later opened up a 22-12 lead.
Capturing the county trophy capped a five-match run that began Sept. 25 on senior night as the Royals won the Circle City Conference title by sweeping Heritage Christian 25-22, 25-19, 25-18.
Roncalli then turned its attention to the county tourney by defeating Decatur Central 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-18, 25-9), rival Perry Meridian 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-17) to reach the Final Four Saturday.
The Royals handled 1A No. 14 Lutheran 3-0 (25-9, 25-7, 25-16). Unofficially, Bell had six kills, Kruer five kills, and Guilfoy three aces.
Lutheran regained their composure early in the third set with a 4-0 lead on two kills by Hadleigh Filipovich, one kill by Grace King, and an ace from Malin Bullock. The Royals took a permanent lead, 7-6 and kept the Saints at a distance. Lutheran defeated 4A Lawrence Central and Warren Central to reach the semifinal round.
Not disappointed, Lutheran coach Kathy Anderson said, “It’s a big stage to play in the Final Four in the county. I think the girls were nervous and had the jitters. Once we relax and keep the game simple, we have success.”
Anderson continued, “We’ve improved a ton with our execution and understanding of the game. We’ll use the next three weeks so each player can improve before the sectional.”
Roncalli visits Columbus East in the Royals final tune-up Thursday before the Ben Davis Sectional begins next week.
CENTER GROVE PREVAILS
4A No. 5 Center Grove snared its 10th straight Johnson County girls’ volleyball championship Thursday against rival Franklin 3-1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19) at Indian Creek High School.
The Trojans (22-3) reached the title match by defeating Greenwood Christian Academy 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-18. Franklin (18-6) downed rival Whiteland 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-19).
In the title match, coach Jen Gandolph Hawk’s Trojans were led up front with Sophie Sabol’s 22 kills and 14 digs and Ellen Zapp’s 16 kills. Anabelle Schembra had 44 assists. Reese Dunkle made five blocks.