Notre Dame got off to a 6-1 lead in the first game, but that would turn out to be the highlight of the Pandas’ state semifinal match.
Defending champion Louisville Mercy (31-6) knocked Notre Dame (32-9) out of the state tournament, 25-19, 25-15 at Northern Kentucky University on Saturday.
Despite two bad serves and several attack errors, the Jaguars finally pulled even with the Pandas, 13-13.
“I think we were a little bit too anxious coming out and had a little bit too much energy,” Mercy coach Todd Garvey said. “But once we started focusing in on what we needed to do, I felt like we did a good job rebounding and playing our type of volleyball.”
A 6-0 run by Mercy, which included two kills by senior outside hitter Madison Hardy, would give the Jaguars a 21-15 lead and put the game away.
In game two, Notre Dame fell behind, 7-2 before calling a timeout, but the Pandas could not stop the bleeding. Notre Dame trailed, 13-4 after a 30-second point ended with sophomore outside hitter Emily Schmahl blasting a shot long.
Senior middle hitters Jaimie Wulfeck and Liz Barton led the Pandas with four kills each, and senior setter Brooke Jones finished with a team-high 10 assists.
Hardy finished with 11 kills and seven digs, and sophomore setter Amanda Crask had 26 assists.
Wulfeck and senior libero Leslie Schellhaas were named to the all-tournament team.
“I’m very happy,” Notre Dame coach Andrea Lanham said. “This isn’t the way we wanted it to end, but I’m very proud of (our players). Overall, I thought they fought very hard, but in the end, the team that fought harder won in the end.”
Notre Dame was the last Northern Kentucky team to win the state tournament, but it has not won one since 1994. The Pandas have made the finals six times since with no success.
Also, Newport Central Catholic (21-10) was bounced in the state semifinals by Louisville Sacred Heart (30-11), 25-10, 25-8.
The Thoroughbreds won the first three points, but Sacred Heart rebounded by running off 14 of the next 15.
Twice NewCath served into its own net, and Valkyries senior outside hitter Kelsey Dunaway lightly punched the ball over the net over two leaping Thoroughbreds and onto the ground for the game winner.
In the second game, NewCath was tied with Sacred Heart, 4-4, but the Valkyries scored the next 11 points to essentially end the match.
Sophomore outside hitter Megan Lipski had two huge slams late to help Sacred Heart ice the match.
Sophomore outside hitter Liz Gruenschlager and sophomore setter Taylor Snyder were named to the all-tournament team from the Thoroughbreds.
It was NewCath’s third-ever appearance in the state semifinals, and the Thoroughbreds have never won in this round.
This season, Vicki Fleissner took over coaching NewCath for Jenny Mertle, who retired at the end of 2008 after 30 years at the helm of the Thoroughbreds dating back to Our Lady of Providence days.
“(Our team) proved so much this season,” Fleissner said. “Nobody picked us to do well in districts, definitely nobody picked us to win regionals, but to then make it to the state semifinals, what more could you ask for?”
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