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C3D1VB: Notre Dame reverses 2023 title outcome with semi W over Crusaders
DEXTER – There weren’t any more storied volleyball programs competing in the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 Tournament semifinals than Saxony Lutheran and Notre Dame.
The Crusaders have strung together four consecutive District titles in two different classes and three different Districts, including winning the 2023 C3D1 title.
For the Bulldogs, they sought a bit of revenge after winning this District in 2021 and 2022 but falling to Saxony Lutheran 3-0 in last year’s championship match.
Notre Dame redeemed itself on Monday with a 3-0 challenging win 25-23, 25-10, 25-21 at the Bearcat Event Center.
“We kept being aggressive,” veteran Notre Dame coach Meridith Brinkmeyer said following the win. “We capitalized on not making mistakes that would get us all frazzled because it’s the postseason.”
The Bulldogs (23-8-1) had lots of opportunities to get “frazzled,” but Brinmeyer’s girls maintained enough composure to hold off continuous rallies from the Crusaders.
In the opening set, Saxony Lutheran fell behind quickly 3-1 but scored four consecutive points to lead 5-3. It stretched its advantage to 9-5, but Notre Dame fought back to tie the set at 11.
That momentum continued for the Bulldogs, which have now swept Saxony Lutheran this season in three contests, as they inched to an 18-15 lead.
Saxony Lutheran showed its moxie, though, as it rallied to pull within one point on four different occasions (18-17, 19-18, 21-20, and 24-23), before Notre Dame sealed the set in thrilling fashion, as the Crusaders turned a 24-20 deficit into a 24-23 battle in the final moments.
“Notre Dame blocks (at the net) really well,” veteran Saxony Lutheran coach Stephanie Brown said afterward. “They have a really big block.”
Notre Dame cruised to a 25-10 second set win, but the Crusaders wouldn’t go away easily in the third set.
The Bulldogs trailed 9-3, which forced Brown to call a timeout. Eventually, the Saxony hole grew to 13-4 and 15-7. However, Brown’s kids climbed back to three points at 17-14, 18-15, 21-18, and 22-19, but could never get over the hump.
“We had a hard time covering their block,” Brown said.
The Crusaders closed their season with a 19-14-1 record, which is the fourth consecutive season with a winning mark.
“I was proud of (our girls),” Brown said. “We did have a good season. We did way better than people anticipated that we were going to do this year.”
The Crusaders graduate seniors Isabel Brown, Adalina Deckard, Camille Richey, and Ashley Summers.
Notre Dame moves on to the District title game for the fifth consecutive season.
The Bulldogs will face the host Bearcats (24-4-1), who got past Kennett in the other semifinal on Monday 3-0.
Notre Dame recently beat Dexter 3-0.