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Strong Front Line Sends Wildcats to State Championship with Win over Bombers

By Joe Ginley, 06/04/17, 12:30PM EDT

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The Wildcats will play for the title at 4 p.m.

For the first time in school history, the Saint Ignatius volleyball team will pay for a state championship.

The Wildcats defeated the St. Xavier Bombers, 3-1, in the OHSBVA State Semifinals, to advance to the Championship at 4 p.m. at Capital University. 

The Volleyball Cats will play the winner of Hilliard Darby and Elder.

In a match against a Bombers squad that defeated the Wildcats earlier in the season, 3-1, the Volleyball Cats used an attacking style to the title, recording 41 kills and 10 blocks at the net. 

"It's the hustle, getting the energy at the end and some key defense," Head Coach Casey Marcelo said of the Wildcats' keys. "Everyone popping the ball up, and the boys know what to do once we pop the ball up. We attack the ball and put the pressure [on the opponent]. That's a result of our strategy – we're going to attack you and have that attacking mentality."

The first set started well for the Wildcats as the home team on the scoreboard scored first with that attacking style, building a 5-3 lead. The Bombers notched the next two points to tie it, but the Wildcats started to heat up, thanks to strength at the net. The Volleyball Cats streaked to a 5-1 run to open up a 4-point advantage, 10-6. 

St. Xavier responded with a 5-1 run of its own, tying the set at 11, 12, and 14, before taking their first lead of the set, 15-14. The Wildcats then rallied and stole the lead back, 17-16. The Bombers tied the contest, diving and sprinting to every ball. However, the Wildcats' precision allowed them to hold onto a narrow lead, and build it to 22-19, forcing a St. Xavier timeout.

The Wildcats came strong out of the break, as strong plays by Quinn Flanagan and Sean Getty finished off the Bombers, granting the Wildcats a 25-20 victory in the first set. 

The Bombers drew first blood in the second set, an opposite start from the first. The Volleyball Cats fell behind 5-3 before tying the set at 6 and taking their first lead of the set thanks to some quick responses to Bomber kill attempts. St. Xavier called a timeout after allowing the Wildcats to stretch the lead to 9-6 after a 6-1 run.

The Volleyball Cats stretched it to 13-9 and 16-11. The Bombers stormed back on the next few points and brought the set to within one, 16-15 and then 17-16. But the Wildcats' resilience and some strong work from Purcell and Co. up front kept the Wildcats on top. A Michael Getty kill got the Wildcats to setpoint and a Bomber error granted the Wildcats the set two victory, 25-21. 

Besides Philip Catanzaro's 4 kills in the second, Richie Holzheimer's 10 assists and Sean Getty's 4 digs helped the Wildcats take the second set and the 2-0 lead. 

A determined Bombers squad rolled to a 6-2 lead to start the third set, capturing the momentum thanks to an unmatched effort and skilled responses to great Wildcats' hits. 

The Volleyball Cats started to slim the lead following the timeout, taking it down to three on several occasions. The Bombers continued to remain disciplined and had an answer for whatever the Wildcats threw their way, however, forcing the Wildcats to work hard on nearly every volley. 

The Bombers' lead expanded to 15-10 and then 17-11 heading into the home stretch of the set. St. Xavier's back row stepped up in a big way, as the squad's libero seemed to be everywhere. 

Matthew Sapanaro and the Wildcats' unsung heroes battled hard in the second set, but errors on kills hurt the blue and gold. Trailing 23-16, the Wildcats took a timeout to regroup. The Volleyball Cats won the first point out of the timeout and fought back valiantly. But the Bombers finished off the Wildcats in the third set, 25-19, to take the contest to a fourth set.

Despite the loss in the set, the Wildcats' 25 digs indicate the team's determined play and responses to St. Xavier's front line. 

Purcell started off the fourth set well for the Wildcats, with a beautiful kill and a block for a quick 2-0 lead. The set saw plenty of lengthy volleys, with the Wildcats grabbing an 8-4 advantage on Bomber kill errors. A beautiful block by Catanzaro at the net then led the Bombers to call a timeout, trailing 9-4. 

St. Xavier snatched a few points following the timeout, narrowing the margin to 9-7 before the Wildcats ended the Bombers' run. 

Catanzaro's smart and fierce play at the net and then on the back line ignited the Wildcats, helping the squad maintain the lead and stretch it to 15-11. The Bombers displayed their trademark aggressiveness, but the Wildcats continued to pressure their opponents with a strong presence at the net with Purcell and Michals.

The Bombers drew within a point three times, 18-17 and 19-18, and again at 21-20, before finally tying it at 21 and then again at 22 before the Wildcats called a timeout. 

A huge Michals kill following the break gave the Wildcats the lead and the serve. Then Michael Getty and Holzheimer combined for a block to send it to match point. The Bombers called a timeout, but a beautiful Catanzaro kill finished off the Bombers, 25-22, and 3-1. 

Catanzaro finished the contest with 10 kills and 18 digs, shining brightly for the Wildcats. Holzheimer's 38 assists and 12 digs, along with Michals' 11 kills and the Getty trio's efforts, made the victory possible. 

Now, the Wildcats will watch the match between Darby and Elder, readying themselves for the final showdown. 

The key to the championship?

"More of the same," Coach Marcelo said. "We just have to have a balanced attack and be calm through adversity. Coach [Jacob] Layden has seen a couple things, and the bench has a lot of energy. We've got that going. Everyone is doing their part."

Follow along on Twitter @SIHSSports and support your Volleyball Cats in Columbus!