MILLTOWN — Perhaps only the hardiest of Saint Mark’s volleyball followers could remember the last time the Spartans lost five consecutive sets, but that’s exactly where they were after Padua took the second set on Sept. 17 for a 2-0 lead. That was as good a time as any for Saint Mark’s to start a winning streak, which they did, sweeping the final three for a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Pandas.
Set scores were 19-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-18, and 15-11.
A large crowd was on hand at Saint Mark’s, giving the match a postseason feel. The Pandas came out swinging, literally, with Avery Pilger (Holy Angels Parish) scoring the first two points on aces. A few points later, Kaitlyn Leberstien (St. Mary of the Assumption) made her presence known with consecutive kills to put the Pandas ahead, 6-1.
Saint Mark’s battled back to tie the match at 6 on a tap by Lauren Mehelas (St. Margaret of Scotland), but the Pandas answered with a 7-0 run that began with a smash by Hannah McGuigan (St. Anthony of Padua Parish). That put the visitors in control for the first set. The Spartans got as close as five points after a mini-run late in the set, but McGuigan sent a hook shot into the void to give the Pandas the 1-0 lead.
A pair of aces in the early going of the second set — one each by Pilger and Abigail Madigan (St. Margaret of Scotland Parish) — helped to stake the Pandas to a 5-2 lead. The Spartans again clawed back, taking a 10-9 lead on a Mehelas smash, then adding to it with an ace from Adriana Morris, one of two freshmen on the Spartans’ roster.
The Spartans held a three-point lead on several occasions in the second, including at 21-18. But Pilger scored on an attack, and McGuigan stuffed an overpass. After a timeout, Saint Mark’s was up, 23-21, before the Pandas tied on two errors. Morris set classmate Maya Frohnapfel in the middle to give the Spartans set point, but Padua scored the final three points on errors to go ahead, 2-0.
For the Spartans, it was time for a comeback, but it would not be handed to them. They were ahead, 6-5, in the third before going on a 5-1 run that included an ace for Madison Johnston (St. John the Beloved Parish) and a kill for Sutton Mix. Mehelas continued her strong play with another big hit, prompting a Padua timeout.
The Pandas battled back, with Pilger tying the score at 15. The Spartans took several small leads, but Padua kept close. The teams were tied for the last time at 23. Mehelas crushed a ball to send it to set point, and #10 followed suit to close it out.
The fourth set was even for the first half, with the Pandas going up, 13-11, on a push by Cierra Burslem (Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish), but the Spartans took control after that. Maddi Way (St. John the Beloved Parish) got them going with a set over the net for a point, beginning an 8-0 run that included a blast by Johnston, along with a block and a kill for Mehelas.
The lead was 22-18 for Saint Mark’s when Reagan Garibaldi (St. John the Beloved Parish) continued her strong night with a kill and a block, moving it to set point. Frohnapfel sent it to a fifth set with a smash.
The Spartans took an early 5-1 lead, but as with the rest of this match, nothing would come easily. Leberstien helped get the Pandas back to within two before a kill for Frohnapfel and a tape ace from Laura Garrett extended the lead to 9-5. The lead was 12-10 after a violation on the Spartans, but Mehelas got that point back with a blast. A hitting error pushed it to match point, and Frohnapfel wrapped up a long evening with a cross that went off a Pandas defender.
Saint Mark’s (3-1) visits Red Lion on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
For the Pandas, Leberstien had 16 kills and 15 assists. McGuigan had 11 kills and 8 blocks, while Pilger contributed 7 kills, 17 digs and 19 assists. The Pandas (2-2) travel to Indian River on Saturday for a 12:30 match.
Photos by Mike Lang.
