Box Score CINCINNATI, Ohio-- Prior to the Lions matchup with the Cardinals of North Central, they honored a very special class of seniors. They were Richie Planek (Wheaton, IL/ Wheaton Warrenville South), Zach Kuebler (Hillard, OH/ Hillard Darby), Brett Cooper (Cincinnati, OH/ LaSalle) ,and Alex Vohland (West Chester, OH/ Lakota West). This group of young men have been instrumental in taking the Mount St. Joseph volleyball program from a place where they only had three players to the MCVL tournament two of the last three seasons.
After an emotional senior night presentation, there was still a game to be played. And it was a big game for the Lions, as their hopes of making the MCVL tournament relied heavily on the outcome. The pressure of the situation, and the big crowd absolutely helped the Lions in this one. The Lions raced out quickly to take a 5-1 lead in the set, behind the serving of Nathan Herdeman (Cincinnati, OH/ Elder). The Cardinals would battle back to even the set at 20 all and again at 22 all, but they were unable to get over the hump. The Lions secured the set 25-22, to take the early lead in the match.
Set two was a back and forth affair early. The Lions were able to get the lead up to four points winning five consecutive points with Cooper at the service line. The set would remain close but the Lions would not trail again in the set. Winning set two 25-18 to take a 2-0 lead into the third set.
The third set of the match may have been the Lions most dominant performance of the 2016-17 season. They opened the match taking a quick 7-2 lead, that when the sent senior Alex Vohland to the service line. Vohland turned into a man possessed in the set, as his team won nine consecutive points with their all-american at the service line. With the Lions holding onto a huge lead head coach Cris Webb gave her seniors the send off they deserved. Planek, Kuebler, Cooper and Vohland were each subbed for over the final few points, each to a rousing round of applause by the crowd. It was a truly fitting Harrington Center send-off for this incredible group of young men.
With the win the Lions clinched a spot in next weekends MCVL tournament, where they will most likely take on the top-seeded host team Carthage. This is the second time in three years that the Lions will play in the MCVL tournament.
