Resilient Redeemer in the final four

The Holy Redeemer girls volleyball team continued its magic carpet ride on Friday by advancing to the final four of the PIAA Class 2A state tournament at Central York High School.

The Royals (23-0) went 6-3 in pool play to earn a chance to become the first District 2 school to win a state tournament at any level.

Holy Redeemer (22-0) will take on two-time defending state champion Merion Marcy at 9:50 a.m. today in semifinal action. Brandywine Heights and Archbishop Carroll will square off in the other semifinal match.

Holy Redeemer showed great resiliency on Friday. After losing three straight games to Brandywine Heights in its opener by scores of 25-21, 25-15, 25-23, the Royals bounced back to win three straight games over Freeport and Mars, respectively, to qualify for today’s competition.

“We had a chance to beat Brandywine Heights, but we missed eight serves in the first game,” said Holy Redeemer coach Jack Kablick. “There’s no way you can miss eight serves at this level and expect to win.”

The missed serves were especially frustrating because the Royals averaged converting 85 percent of their serves during the regular season, Kablick added.

Kablick said that his team looked impressive in its wins over Freeport (25-13, 25-13, 25-19) and Mars (25-21, 25-15, 25-9).

“We dominated Freeport. Before today, no team beat them 3-0 all year. We started out strong with power and our hitting at the net. They had no answer for Kristen Bell, who had 13 kills.”

Mars was much more competitive, but the Royals managed to prevail, said Kablick.

“We were behind in games one and three, but we wound up winning both games. They had a 6-3 middle hitter who was very hard to stop.”

Monica Wignot led Holy Redeemer with a total of 87 kills, 33 service points, nine blocks and 15 digs. Bell had 21 kills, five blocks and 14 digs, while Maura McCormick had 17 kills, 34 service points, three aces and 18 digs.

Mary Loughran had 98 assists, 16 digs and eight service points, while Nikole Johnson added nine digs. Carly Zak had three kills, one block and two digs, Chelsey Kon notched 15 service points and Kate Sensunas had five service points

Lindsay Carl added 12 digs and four service points, while Allie Griswold had two kills and three blocks. Kate Cibello notched five service points.

“Loughran had a big day,” Kablick said. “Her setting had to be right on the spot. She was fantastic. She wasn’t nervous at all – she just went about her business.”

The Royals need to step up their play today in order to capture the title, Bell said.

“I don’t think we played as well as we should have. Our serves hurt us a lot. If we just focus on what we’re doing, we definitely have a shot at the championship.”

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Extras

After going 6-3 in pool play, the Royals are two victories away from a 2A state title.

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