LINCOLN — After working through some early first-set jitters, Omaha Marian proved Saturday what it has been proving all season long.

That is, the Crusaders are the best team in the state.

Top-ranked Marian won its fourth state title and first since 1999 by rallying for a 15-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23 win over second-ranked Papillion-La Vista South in the Class A final of the state volleyball tournament. The win at the NU Coliseum lifted the Crusaders to 42-1 and earned the squad high praise from longtime coach Rochelle Rohlfs.

“This is by far the best team I’ve ever coached,’’ she said. “I wouldn’t know what to do for a game plan to try and stop us.’’

The Titans, who had lost three previous matches against the Crusaders, had a solid game plan — come out strong. Papillion-La Vista South rolled to a 10-point win in the first set over the shaky Crusaders.

“We got off to a great start, but we couldn’t keep it going,’’ Titans coach Gwen Egbert said. “And then we made some mistakes at critical times.’’

Rohlfs said she sensed her team’s anxiety early in the match but knew the Crusaders would eventually settle down.

“If the second set started out the way that first one did, I would have been worried,’’ she said. “Fortunately, that didn’t happen.’’

The Crusaders led most of the second set, though it was close late.

Marian held a one-point advantage on three occasions late in the set and stubbornly refused to give it up, eventually winning the set on a kill by Lauren Sieckmann.

That momentum carried over to the third set as Marian opened up a seven-point lead. Papillion-La Vista South fought back and tied it at 22 on a kill by freshman Kelly Hunter, but the next three points — a kill by Andrea Spaustat, a block by Morgan Ogorzaly-Eaton and a hitting error by the Titans — gave the set to Marian.

The Crusaders once again jumped to the early lead in the fourth set, moving off to a 15-7 advantage. That lead later grew to 24-20 and put Marian on the brink of victory, but the Titans weren’t finished.

A kill by Papillion-La Vista South libero Jen Cushing — her only one of the match — an ace by Kirsten Hudgens and a Marian shot that went wide suddenly pulled the Titans within 24-23. But senior Melanie McCormick ended the drama, smashing a kill into the deep corner that gave Marian the title.

“That was getting kind of tense,’’ Rohlfs said. “I was happy that we ended it right there.’’

Andrea Spaustat paced the Crusaders with 11 kills while McCormick and Sieckmann had 10 apiece.

“That first set was a wake-up call for us,’’ Spaustat said. “We finally clicked and got it going.’’

The 6-foot-1 junior added that the championship was the final step for the team that has been ranked No. 1 all season.

“We worked so hard for this,’’ she said. “This is such a great thing, especially for our seniors.’’

The Titans, who start three freshmen, came up short in the Class A final for the second straight year. Papillion-La Vista South was swept in the championship match last year by Papillion-La Vista.

“They’re a great team,’’ Rohlfs said. “I told Gwen (Egbert) that they could be back here again the next few years.’’

But this year belonged to the Crusaders.

Papillion-LV South (36-5) 25222223

Omaha Marian (42-1) 15252525

PLVS (kills-aces-blocks): Kadie Rolfzen 13-0-0, Taylor Wynn 1-0-0, Kelly Hunter 8-0-1, Megan Stroyek 3-0-2, Amber Rolfzen 20-0-3, Kirsten Hudgens 0-2-0, Nicole Edgar 0-5-0, Rachel Nelson 2-0-1, Jen Cushing 1-1-0.

OM: Lauren Sieckmann 10-0-0, Katie Elman 0-2-0, Julianne Mandolfo 0-1-0, Melanie McCormick 10-1-1, Morgan Ogorzaly-Eaton 4-0-4, Andrea Spaustat 11-3-2, Ellie Pesavento 6-0-3, Michelle Pettit 2-0-0.

Set assists: PLVS 45 (Hunter 25, Hudgens 19, Stroyek 1); OM 37 (Sieckmann 20, Jordann Wilson 14, Elman 1, Mandolfo 1, Ogorzaly-Eaton 1).

Contact the writer:

444-1350, mike.patterson@owh.com

« High Schools

Share