Monarchs shut down Pius X, stay unbeaten
OMAHA — Once Papillion-La Vista’s volleyball team got through a nerve-racking first set against Lincoln Pius X, the rest of Tuesday night wasn’t nearly as tense.
Down 24-23, the Class A, No. 1 Monarchs eliminated that set point against them with a kill from Super-State senior outside hitter Gina Mancuso. Then the 6-foot Nebraska recruit delivered two more just like it to give Papillion-La Vista the first set and all the momentum it needed for the rest of the night.
Papillion-La Vista beat Class B, No. 1 Pius X 26-24, 25-17 in the battle of defending state champions, then finished off the triangular at Omaha Marian with a dominant 25-15, 25-17 win over the Class A, No. 3 Crusaders to stay unbeaten this season (25-0).
“We had them (Papillion-La Vista) on the ropes, then we made some errors and let them get away,’’ said Pius X coach Jake Moore, whose 26-2 Thunderbolts opened the triangular with a 25-15, 19-25, 25-16 triumph over Marian (20-5).
“We just let down in the second set,” Moore added. “They (Papillion-La Vista) got on a roll and we went into a funk.”
Mancuso unloaded 13 of her match-high 15 kills in the first set, which Pius X led 22-20 on a right side, point-ending tip by Erica Effken. While Mancuso missed wide with a monstrous attack down the line to give Pius X its 24-23 lead, she quickly made amends.
Her off-speed roll shot over the block tied it at 24. She gave the Monarchs a 25-24 lead with a kill off the Pius X block that the Thunderbolts couldn’t dig. When Mancuso blasted the ball off the block on set point, it sprayed wide of the Pius X defense.
“When I make an error like that, I try 10 times harder to get the next one,’’ Mancuso said. “Winning that first set was a huge confidence-booster for us.”
Super-State setter Chelsey Feekin also played a major role in the win over Pius X. The 6-1 Wichita State recruit had 22 assists to go with six kills, an ace block and an ace serve. Feekin had four of those kills in the second set which the Monarchs broke open with a 9-2 run that gave them a 19-10 lead.
Feekin had 18 assists, two blocks and five kills in the win over Marian, while Mancuso ripped 17 kills.
“Because of the seniors’ maturity level and calming effect on the rest of the team, I knew we’d be fine going into the last match (against Marian),” said Papillion-La Vista coach J.J. Toczek, whose team now has a 42-match winning streak.
“They celebrated the win over Pius, then refocused and got ready for Marian. For us to come back against a good Pius team and not get rattled, that set the tone for the rest of the night.”
Pius X controlled things in sets 1 and 3 against Marian, behind the offense of senior outside hitters Natalie Braun and Kayla Gaden and 6-1 junior middle blocker Allie Falter. Braun smashed 11 kills against the Crusaders, Gaden put down nine kills and two ace blocks and Falter had eight kills and two blocks.
Marian got the upper hand in the second set against the ‘Bolts on the strength of six ace serves. Freshman Lauren Sieckmann served two of those aces, just part of a standout performance for the 5-9 setter/outside hitter who led the Crusaders with nine kills, 14 assists and 11 digs.
Super-State setter and UCLA recruit Lauren Cook ignited the Pius X offense against Marian with 27 assists, while also contributing five kills and an ace block. Braun finished 17 kills in the two matches combined and Cook threw up 48 assists on the night.
“It was frustrating being so close the first set against Papillion, but to go 1-1 here, I‘ll take it,’’ Moore said. “This is the first time we‘ve won a match at Marian in the 10 years of this triangular. If someone would‘ve told me before the season we‘d be 26-2 at this point, I would‘ve taken it, no question about it.”
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
Down 24-23, the Class A, No. 1 Monarchs eliminated that set point against them with a kill from Super-State senior outside hitter Gina Mancuso. Then the 6-foot Nebraska recruit delivered two more just like it to give Papillion-La Vista the first set and all the momentum it needed for the rest of the night.
Papillion-La Vista beat Class B, No. 1 Pius X 26-24, 25-17 in the battle of defending state champions, then finished off the triangular at Omaha Marian with a dominant 25-15, 25-17 win over the Class A, No. 3 Crusaders to stay unbeaten this season (25-0).
“We had them (Papillion-La Vista) on the ropes, then we made some errors and let them get away,’’ said Pius X coach Jake Moore, whose 26-2 Thunderbolts opened the triangular with a 25-15, 19-25, 25-16 triumph over Marian (20-5).
“We just let down in the second set,” Moore added. “They (Papillion-La Vista) got on a roll and we went into a funk.”
Mancuso unloaded 13 of her match-high 15 kills in the first set, which Pius X led 22-20 on a right side, point-ending tip by Erica Effken. While Mancuso missed wide with a monstrous attack down the line to give Pius X its 24-23 lead, she quickly made amends.
Her off-speed roll shot over the block tied it at 24. She gave the Monarchs a 25-24 lead with a kill off the Pius X block that the Thunderbolts couldn’t dig. When Mancuso blasted the ball off the block on set point, it sprayed wide of the Pius X defense.
“When I make an error like that, I try 10 times harder to get the next one,’’ Mancuso said. “Winning that first set was a huge confidence-booster for us.”
Super-State setter Chelsey Feekin also played a major role in the win over Pius X. The 6-1 Wichita State recruit had 22 assists to go with six kills, an ace block and an ace serve. Feekin had four of those kills in the second set which the Monarchs broke open with a 9-2 run that gave them a 19-10 lead.
Feekin had 18 assists, two blocks and five kills in the win over Marian, while Mancuso ripped 17 kills.
“Because of the seniors’ maturity level and calming effect on the rest of the team, I knew we’d be fine going into the last match (against Marian),” said Papillion-La Vista coach J.J. Toczek, whose team now has a 42-match winning streak.
“They celebrated the win over Pius, then refocused and got ready for Marian. For us to come back against a good Pius team and not get rattled, that set the tone for the rest of the night.”
Pius X controlled things in sets 1 and 3 against Marian, behind the offense of senior outside hitters Natalie Braun and Kayla Gaden and 6-1 junior middle blocker Allie Falter. Braun smashed 11 kills against the Crusaders, Gaden put down nine kills and two ace blocks and Falter had eight kills and two blocks.
Marian got the upper hand in the second set against the ‘Bolts on the strength of six ace serves. Freshman Lauren Sieckmann served two of those aces, just part of a standout performance for the 5-9 setter/outside hitter who led the Crusaders with nine kills, 14 assists and 11 digs.
Super-State setter and UCLA recruit Lauren Cook ignited the Pius X offense against Marian with 27 assists, while also contributing five kills and an ace block. Braun finished 17 kills in the two matches combined and Cook threw up 48 assists on the night.
“It was frustrating being so close the first set against Papillion, but to go 1-1 here, I‘ll take it,’’ Moore said. “This is the first time we‘ve won a match at Marian in the 10 years of this triangular. If someone would‘ve told me before the season we‘d be 26-2 at this point, I would‘ve taken it, no question about it.”
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
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