State champs! B’ham Marian sweeps Lowell to reign in D1
BATTLE CREEK » The 2020 season has thrown a lot of challenges at the Birmingham Marian volleyball team.
But if those challenges were preparation for the final exam that was the Division 1 state final, then the Mustangs passed with flying colors.
Marian controlled the match from the start and defeated Lowell 25-17, 25-20, 25-19 to earn the program its first state championship since 2010.
“Going into today there was just a calmness. When we were practicing across the street, there was just something different,” Marian coach Mayssa Cook said
of the win.
“Every kid was calm, relaxed.
“I’m happy that we played our game (Saturday). We played our game. They had fun the entire time. They were relaxed, having fun the entire time, playing together as a team.”
Along with the challenges that COVID-19 presented throughout the season, Marian was dealing with the passing of athletic director David Feldman on Thursday night due to the virus.
The players and coaches all paid tribute to Feldman with ribbons and had David’s daughter Jacqui, a former player, accept the championship trophy during the awards presentation.
“It was so special,” Marian junior Ava Brizard said
of sharing the moment with Feldman. “Me, Sarah Sylvester and Sophie Treder played with her our freshmen year, so we know the Feldman family really well. It was so devastating to hear that (David) passed away Thursday night before we were supposed to go to Battle Creek because he was just as competitive as we were the whole season. He loved volleyball so much. It was just more fuel to our fire to win this state championship.”
It would be Brizard that captained the winning effort for Marian. She had a match-high 29 kills while hitting .481 on her attacks.
“I think this whole season has been about resilience. We just dealt with all the challenges that came along the way this season, so to get here to Battle Creek and win the whole thing and play like we did, play so amazing, it just feels like all of our hard work paid off,” she said. “Especially
with Mr. Feldman passing, we feel so grateful that we could win it for him and we know he’s definitely smiling and jumping around in heaven, cheering us on.”
The Mustangs controlled most of the match, as it established an 8-3 lead in the opening game and never trailed in the set. Anytime Lowell started to threaten the lead, the Mustangs seemed to find Brizard for a tide-turning kill. She had eight kills in the opening set, including the final point.
In the second, Lowell had some brief leads, but the Mustangs would slowly wear the Red Arrows down. Lowell had a 15-14 lead in the set, but Ella Schomer had a block to even the match and Lauren Heming followed with an ace to give Marian the lead. The Mustangs wouldn’t trail in the set again.
The third was more of the same, as the Mustangs
continued to showcase the play that they were displaying prior to the postseason stoppage in November.
Lowell didn’t have an answer for Brizard, and the Mustangs’ defensive play kept Lowell from any long scoring rallies.
“Ultimately I am glad that they settled down and played as a team because this is how we were playing right at the end, right in that regional finals match. We were playing and gelling as a team.
“I am thankful that that five-to-six-week pause wasn’t enough to break our chemistry and the connection that they have among each other,” Cook said.
Schomer finished with eight kills and 11 digs for the Mustangs while Treder added six kills and five digs. Sophomore setter Ava Sarafa had 39 assists, eight digs and two aces.
Sophomore libero Lauren Heming added 15 digs to lead the defensive effort.