Michigan's Miss Volleyball, Katherine Carlson, of Notre Dame Prep goes up for one of her 26 kills last night in a semifinal match vs. North Branch.
It was the match fans from both teams were looking forward to and who could blame them.
The no. 1-ranked and defending state champion Note Dame Prep vs. no. 2 North Branch, which was still stinging from their loss to Prep in the 2013 quarterfinal match last year, in what some say was the best high school match they had ever witnessed.
Fans from both teams and around the state were hoping to watch another epic match between two of the state’s top program. In the end, it was North Branch who prevailed, earning a trip to the finals where they will meet up with Lakewood for the title. The Broncos had too much height and too many weapons for the undersized squad from Pontiac as they defeated Notre Dame, 25-16, 25-21, 18-25, 25-17 to punch their ticket to the championship game for the second time in three seasons.
Leading the way for North Branch was Miss Volleyball-finalist Laura Wilson, who tallied 22 kills in 84 tries and Victoria Severance who hit a sizzling .519 with her 14 kills. Olivia Fike added 12 kills and the trio was just too much for the Fighting Irish.
When the Irish did mount some momentum and appeared to be making a run, it was senior libero Mady Ruhlman who stopped them as she had a sensational day keeping 33 Irish attacks from hitting the floor. For the Irish, Katherine Carlson ended her high school career with a match-high 26 kills and 25 digs. Carlson finishes with back-to-back 1000 kill seasons. The recently crowned Miss Volleyball will take her talents to Valparaiso next season.
“Valpo is getting both a terrific volleyball player and a great person, Coach Betty Wroubel said after the match. “I am looking forward to following Katherine as she take her talents to yet another level.”
In video below, NDP coach Betty Wroubel talks to the media after last night's match. (Video courtesy of The Oakland Press.)
No one else on the Irish offense had more than 5 kills in the match. Emma Kowalkowski was once again stellar on defense for the Irish as she collected 23 digs. When pressed for comments regarding calls late in the second set, Wroubel indicated that everyone, players, officials and coaches are all trying to do their best.
“All are very good and all have had a good season to get to the finals,” she said. “Teams have to control what is on their side of the net and we didn’t do that today and that is on me. You don’t always get the breaks; at times life throws you some controversial calls and you have to learn to deal with them in order to survive. It is one of the great lessons that educational athletics teaches us.”
Wroubel said officials make hundreds of calls in a match and 99.9% are spot on. “That seems to have become the focal point of this match even though it did not the determine the outcome,” she added. “There were so many other factors that led to this match’s result. North Branch’s defense, their diversified attack and aggressive serving were determining factors. I feel bad how it appears (disrespectful or unappreciated of the officials) and it also takes away from the performance of both North Branch, who played an outstanding game, and our team, who had a terrific year! The focal point should be the kids and their experience. I do not want this match to define us. I have a great group of young ladies who were so much fun to work with.”
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.