McDonogh struggled with its passing through most of last night's Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference volleyball championship, but the Eagles managed to set up a strong middle attack when it counted.
The Eagles (16-4) got two kills from Trina Small and superb serving from Arielle Samuels as they rallied from a 13-8 deficit in the fourth game to finish off a 15-8, 15-12, 13-15, 15-13 victory over Mount de Sales for their third straight A Conference title at Villa Julie College.
"When we don't pass well, we can't run the middle and that's what makes our offense effective," McDonogh coach Ginger Gelston-Powell said. "If we're not passing well, their blockers are on the outside hitters."
The Sailors (17-4), who moved up after winning the B Conference title a year ago, were effective at countering much of the Eagles' net game, although McDonogh's Liz Eads had 12 kills and Amy Lindholm had eight while Small and Nadine Shelley added six each.
In the third game, the Sailors, who had an equally balanced attack led by Amy Buck, Hailey Tucker and Colleen Nevin, rallied from 12-9 down to force a fourth game.
"We started to pick it up a little bit and played more as team," Buck said.
The momentum carried through to the final game as the Sailors took a 7-1 lead. Nevin's block on Lindholm later gave the Sailors their biggest edge of the game at 8-2, but the Eagles rallied behind Tiffany Grant's serve and kills from Lindholm and Shelley to tie at 8-8.
The Sailors grabbed the momentum back with a five-point run, sparked by two Nevin kills. But in the end, the Eagles got two aces from Samuels and the two Small kills to take control.
"They got the momentum. We got the momentum. But as soon as we started running ones [quick sets to the middle hitter], the momentum switched to our side," said Eagles senior setter Jessy Morgan, who had 35 assists and six kills.
B Conference
Throughout the season, John Carroll's 6-1 outside hitter Kayani Turner has been her team's marquee player, but Turner has no problem sharing credit for the Patriots' unbeaten season and B Conference title with her team's defense.
Last night, the No. 11 Patriots (19-0) got nine kills from Turner and enough point-saving digs and accurate passes to fill the championship trophy as they rolled past St. Vincent Pallotti, 15-9, 15-1, 15-8 to take the title.
"Defense has been a huge factor," said Turner, a junior. "Without defense, you can't win volleyball games."
Setter Margaret Luppino made the defensive play of the match, a rally-saving dig in a third-game run that dug the Patriots out of a 7-1 hole and built their lead to 10-3.
Turner kicked off the run with a kill, but the momentum really swung the Patriots' way after Luppino dove after a ball headed out of bounds and kept it in play for an eventual Brie Williams kill.
Luppino then served an ace and Turner pounded another kill to pull within 7-5, before five Pallotti mistakes helped the Patriots take command, 10-7.
The Panthers (16-4) cut it to 10-8, but the Patriots reeled off the last five points. Colleen Egan, a 6-2 middle blocker, hammered home the crown with the last of her five kills.
C Conference
St. Paul's completed a clean sweep through the conference with a hard-fought, team-driven 15-4, 10-15, 15-11, 8-15, 15-8 win over St. Frances (6-6) for its title.
The Gators (14-2), whose starting setter, Wesley Michael, missed the match to attend a wedding, had their hands full with the Panthers' power-hitting duo of 5-11 Camille Coleman and 6-1 Angel McCoughtry, who combined for 38 kills, but their defense and a consistent offense was up to the challenge.