By Brad Gray
Contributing Writer
GASTON
– There was one thing going through the mind of Class A No. 2 Lafayette Central
Catholic volleyball coach Brad McCarter after his Knights dropped the second game
of the Regional 14 championship Nov. 1 against fifth-ranked host Wes-Del:
Not
again …
“Our
girls have had a tendency to relax all year,” McCarter said. “We’ve worked on
carrying momentum throughout the entire game.”
He
needn’t have worried. Central Catholic bounced back from its five-point Game 2
defeat to capture the next two games, allowing the Knights (35-2) to defend
their regional crown and advance to the small-school state finals.
After
dominating the first set 25-17, the Knights became complacent after jumping out
to an 8-3 Game 2 advantage. Miscommunications allowed the Warriors to tie the
score at 10, and the momentum shift lifted Wes-Del to a 25-20 win to knot the
match.
The
Central Catholic student section turned nearly inaudible as the home crowd pumped
its players up as the teams alternated sides. But when both teams came out for
the third game, it was the Knights’ seniors who presented a sense of confidence
and swagger.
“Well,
our seniors just would not let us lose this game,” said McCarter, whose team
jumped out strong in Game 3 and never looked back. “They knew what was at stake,
and I left it for them to get this team focused.”
The
momentum in the gym completely shifted over to the visitors after Central
Catholic captured the third game, 25-14. Wes-Del (25-10), which had made the
finals after sweeping No. 7 Randolph Southern 25-15, 25-10, 25-15, fought gamely
in the fourth set but ultimately fell, 26-24.
Wes-Del’s
all-out effort was not lost on McCarter.
“We
knew coming into this regional that every game was going to be tough – any team
we faced would come with their best game,” McCarter said. “I knew that (Wes-Del
coach) Chuck Wallen would have his team mentally prepared to battle.
“Today
was definitely a fight, and I’m just glad to come out victorious.”
The
Knights, who swept Rockville 25-12, 25-23, 25-8 in the morning semifinal, move
on Nov. 8 to a Worthen Arena state semifinal morning clash with No. 4
Barr-Reeve (also 35-2).
The
winner will face either top-ranked four-time defending champion Marquette
Catholic or No. 8 Indianapolis Lutheran for the Class A state championship at
Worthen starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. Stay tuned to HoosierAuthority.com for
complete state finals coverage!
Wes-Del
Regional
Match 1 – #2 Lafayette Central Catholic def. Rockville 25-12, 25-23, 25-8
Match 2 – #5 Wes-Del def. #7 Randolph Southern 25-15, 25-10, 25-15
Championship – #2 Lafayette Central Catholic def. #5 Wes-Del 25-17, 20-25,
25-14, 26-24
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