GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Notre Dame Prep advances fifth Final Four
ST. CLAIR — Perhaps Pontiac Notre Dame Prep doesn’t rebuild. The Fighting Irish simply reload.
After losing eight regular players off the 2017 state championship and 2018 state runner-up squads, including most oil its offensive firepower, Notre Dame Prep is heading into the final weekend of the season once again on fire.
The fifth-ranked team in Division 2 advanced to its fifth Final Four over a 12-season span, including a third straight, thanks to a 3-0 sweep of Warren Regina in the state quarterfinals Tuesday at St. Clair Community College.
NDP grounded the Satellites with a 25-13, 25-13, 25-17 victory to advance to Friday’s 4:30 p.m. state semifinals at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena. The Irish will face second-ranked Lake Odessa Lakewood in the first semifinal, while top-ranked and defending state champion Grand Rapids Christian will tangle with sixth-ranked Kingsley in the second semifinal Friday.
Senior Theresa Carrier slammed 14 kills to pace NDP. Sophomore Alyssa Borellis added 11 kills, 21 assists, eight digs and two blocks, Bianca Giglio hammered nine kills and Sophia Sudzina contributed six kills for Notre Dame Prep. Margo Sudzina also had 15 service points, two aces and 13 assists, Josie Bloom had 14 digs and 10 service points, and Livy Kowalkowski nine digs for the Irish.
The Fighting Irish captured its first state crown in the fall 2007 season, then added titles in 2013 and 2017, the final year before the MHSAA switched to four divisions instead of four classes. Notre Dame Prep also finished as the state runner-up in 2018, lost in the state semifinals in 2014, reached the state quarterfinals five other times and regional finals another time in the past 21 years.
Notre Dame Prep (48-10-3) has played in 21 straight district finals, winning 20 times, and has advanced to at least the state quarterfinals 11 times in that same 21-year span. The Irish will compete in the state semifinals for a third consecutive season and fifth time in the past sevens campaigns.
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