The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake and Beaumont to face off in final
STOW » Lake Catholic rolled to a 25-13 win in the first set of its Division II regional semifinal against Marlington on Nov. 2, and the Cougars appeared headed for an easy sweep over the Dukes.
It didn’t turn out as a sweep, but Lake emerged victorious and will play North Coast League rival Beaumont on Nov. 4 for a state semifinal berth.
Marlington, a team Lake Catholic coach Rich Severino called one of the most athletic the Cougars have played, responded to take the second game, 26-24.
The Dukes’ scrappy defense dug out many shots from Ila Angermeier, Ashley Browske and the Cougars, then extended rallies to pick up points.
Browske wouldn’t let any doubt of victory settle into her teammates’ minds.
The junior Pitt commit put down many of her 17 kills as Lake Catholic won the third set, 25-21. Angermeier led the Cougars with 19 kills, four of which constituted Lake Catholic’s final five points in a 27-25 win in the fourth set.
“I wasn’t going to let this be our last game,” Browske said. “I know that we are a strong team. We’ve worked
so hard in practice. I, mentally, was just ‘I want to get this done’ and I just had the drive and desire; I want the ball, give me the ball, feed me and I got it done.”
Marlington’s defense challenged the Cougars’ concentration. Neither side held a size advantage, but defenders behind the Dukes’ block awaited most of Lake Catholic’s shots.
“Ila couldn’t find the floor,” Severino said. “They dug everything. They were fast after they’d dig the ball.”
The lopsided first set stood as an outlier. Although the Cougars knew little about their opponent, their focus on ball control coupled with the Dukes’ nerves allowed Lake Catholic to cruise to a 1-0 lead.
Marlington collected itself and returned to its
defensive identity to tie the match. Lake Catholic jumped out to a 11-6 lead in the third set and, spurred by Browske’s hitting, regained control of
the match.
Marlington led, 22-20, late in the fourth set. Angermeier’s scoring rallied the Cougars to a 26-25 lead, when a Dukes’ serve sailed
long to give Lake Catholic match point.
“T hey were rea lly scrappy,” Browske said. “It seemed like every ball we hit hard they dug it up somehow. It was a bunch of long rallies and I think in that (set) they found the better end of those rallies.”
Lake Catholic returns to the regional title match, where a rematch with Beaumont awaits the Cougars. Lake Catholic defeated the Blue Streaks in the same match last year to advance to a state semifinal.
“They have Madison Kasper, who can take over a game,” Browske said. “We’ve got to know where she hits, where she’s at so we can maybe go around her, me and Ila, to find new shots and find new ways to score against them.”