You are here: Home » High School » Clarkston » Swinging some revenge: Dragons stun defending state champion Marian

Swinging some revenge: Dragons stun defending state champion Marian

Dan Stickradt | November 9, 2011 | Comments (3)

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

LAKE ORION — More than any sport, momentum can make a major difference in volleyball. Once the pendulum swings, it’s hard to gain the momentum back.

Birmingham Marian found that out the hard way Tuesday night.

Regional host Lake Orion dropped Game 1 of its Class A regional semifinal to Marian, 25-20, and the third-ranked Mustangs had the seventh-ranked Dragons on the ropes in Game 2 with a 24-19 advantage.

Instead of Marian gaining a 2-0 edge and being in complete control, Lake Orion was able to pull a reversal.

Behind a pro-Orion crowd of nearly a thousand dressed in white and behind a furious comeback, Lake Orion closed with an 8-1 run to take the second game, 27-25. The Dragons followed that up with wins of 25-16 and 27-25 to upset the two-time defending state champions, 3-1.

“That was huge,” smiled Lake Orion coach Bob Howey of the Game 2 comeback. “I think we were down 24-19. You know what, I got us the toughest schedule that I could possibly put together and this is why. I think that made a difference (for us). We had a tough loss to Clarkston (three weeks ago in the OAA Red Division title match) and that taught us to have poise for a match like this.”

LET IT ALL OUT: Lake Orion's Sophie Murodck (No. 22) and the Dragons mugged each other after they stunned two-time defending league champion Birmingham Marian,3-1,in a Class A regional semifinal. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com

Lake Orion (51-12-0), enjoying its best season since the 1988 campaign when the Dragons reached the Final Four, will play Troy at 7 p.m. Thursday for the regional championship.

The Dragons needed a large dose of poise after being outplayed by Marian for long stretches of the first two games.

After dominating Game 3, Lake Orion trailed by scores of 21-19, 23-22 and 24-23 in the fourth game, but battled back with a 4-1 run to close out the set and match.

A kill from junior Sophie Murdock tied the game at 24-24, while back-to-back service points, including a wicked ace, from senior Shannon Murdock ended the match to send the Dragons into the regional title game for the second straight year.

Marian, which played in four straight state finals, including state runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2008 and the state titles in 2009 and 20010, had won six straight regional championships. This year’s Mustangs ran into a perfect storm in Lake Orion, a senior-laden team competing on its home court.

“We let them back into it,” sighed Marian coach Irick Gardner. “We let the crowd back into to it.

“I think the second game was the difference. If we get that point, then we lead 2-0 and can play differently against them,” added Gardner. “All we needed to do was get one point and we couldn’t do that. You can’t take away anything from Lake Orion because they are a good team. They found a way to come back.”

Marian swept Lake Orion, 3-0, in last year’s regional finals and held a 3-2 edge on the Dragons this season in various tournaments. The Dragons were able to swing some revenge this time around.

Out of the gates, Marian took advantage of some superb passing and some Lake Orion unforced errors to take the first game, closing with a 4-1 run to silence a boisterous crowd. In Game 2, Marian continued to frustrate the Dragons and its 17-16 lead increased to 24-19 behind a 7-3 run which included three kills by Logan Horejsi.

The Dragons, who feature eight seniors and returned 13 players from last year’s team, went to its seniors and juniors to bounce back in the final three games.

Shannon Murdock had 17 kills and 21 digs, Sophie Murdock added 13 kills and three blocks and Liz Kalugar chipped in with 10 kills and 16 digs for Lake Orion. Dana Schrauben followed with 34 assists, Gwen Motley had 18 assists, Angelica LeDonne had four blocks and Maddie Hutchinson had 35 digs and 23 serve receives for the Dragons.

The win is one of the biggest in school history.

“We haven’t won the regional yet, but to beat the two-time defending state champs here is very big,” added Howey, not worried about a letdown. “I think we’ll be ready Thursday (for the regional finals). I don’t think that will be a problem.”

Jesse Kopmeyer had 19 kills, Kaleigh Pohlman added 14 kills, Lauren Dietz had 18 digs and Nicayla Joyce 21 digs for Marian.

To submit information to www.northoaklandsports.com, e-mail dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. To advertise, e-mail advertising@northoaklandsports.com . Follow us on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and more than a dozen other social media networks.

Tags: Birmingham Marian Girls Volleyball, featured, girls volleyball, High School Girls Volleyball, Lake Orion Girls Volleyball, Prep Girls Volleyball, volleyball