GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Notre Dame Prep still alive with regional semis victory over Lutheran North, earns date with North Branch
NORTH BRANCH — Pontiac Notre Dame Prep is very much still alive in the Division 2 state tournament.
The state-ranked Fighting Irish downed Macomb Lutheran North 3-0 Tuesday (25-23, 25-21, 25-13) at North Branch to advance to the regional finals.
Notre Dame Prep (35-9-0) will face host North Branch in the regional finals — the Irish’s 13th appearance in that round in 21 seasons — at 6 p.m. Thursday.
It marks the fourth straight season that Notre Dame Prep and North Branch will face in the regional finals, the fifth straight season the two rivals will face in the tournament overall and eighth time in nine seasons the two will meet in the playoffs.
“(We) started off sluggishly and had trouble finding our rhythm against a hard working (Lutheran North) team until the third set when we led start to finish,” noted Notre Dame Prep coach Betty Wroubel.
Olivia Kowalkowski led the way with 11 total points, 20 serve receptions, 17 digs and two aces. Josie Bloom added 10 receptions and 14 digs, Aly Borellis slammed 13 kills with 19 assists and 13 digs, and Margo Sudzina had 11 assists for NDP.
Hanna Rutila also had 13 total points, three aces, nine receptions and nine digs, Kendall Smith dished out 11 assists, Grace Wenaas supplied eight kills and Sophia Sudzina aded six kills for the Fighting Irish, who have won district championships in 22 of the past 23 seasons.
Notre Dame Prep has fared quite well in the MHSAA Class B / Division 2 state tournament over the past 25 years. Here are some of its noteworthy journeys:
CURRENT STATUS/REGIONAL FINALIST — 2020
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS — 2007-F, 2013, 2017
STATE RUNNERS-UP — 2018
LOST IN FINAL FOUR — 2014, 2019
LOST IN STATE QUARTERFINALS — 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012
LOST IN REGIONAL FINALS — 2011
LOST IN REGIONAL SEMIFINALS — 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016
DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS SINCE LATE 1990s — 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007-F, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 2018, 2019, 2020 (the Irish have won 22 districts in the last 23 seasons, missing only in the winter of 2007)
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