With Sullivan Gym full of tables and chairs for AP exams, the Saint Ignatius varsity volleyball team took over Murphy Gym on Wednesday evening. In a packed house with chairs near the court, parents and fans enjoyed a fun evening.
The Volleyball Cats celebrated Senior Night and the accomplishments of a 3-man senior class – David Castele, Aidan McCaffrey, and Andrew Chalhoub. Following pictures and several rounds of applause, the Volleyball Cats took the court for a late-season matchup with the Archbishop Hoban Knights.
In definitive fashion, much like the 3-0 win the Cats captured in the matchup earlier this year, the Wildcats defeated the Knights in straight sets, 25-17, 25-19, 25-20.
The Wildcats fired out of the gate after senior activities. The hosts broke out to a 7-2 lead to start the game. The Knights responded with a 7-1 run fueled by several Saint Ignatius mental and physical errors.
But the Wildcats soon righted the ship. Quinn Flanagan tabbed back-to-back aces to spark the Cats. After the teams returned to an 11-11 tie, the Wildcats tore off a 8-3 run to take control. Aces and kills by Castele and Flangan helped increase the lead to 22-17. Authoritative kills by Eric Larsen, Flanagan, and Phil Catanzaro completed a 25-17 victory in set one. The Wildcats notched 16 kills in the opener, enjoying a significant advantage at the net.
The teams traded shots to start the second, leading to a 6-6 tie. An 11-4 Saint Ignatius run set the train in motion for the Wildcats. Fire flames nearly erupted from Flanagan's powerful arm, as the sophomore notched four kills and an ace during the big run. A Larsen spike and a McCaffrey block also contributed to the critical streak.
The Knights called timeout to break up the momentum and it worked for a time. Archbishop Hoban took a 5-2 run to narrow the deficit to four. The Knights came within three at 21-18, but the Wildcats won four of the last five points. Two Castele aces and a couple Hoban errors completed an important 25-19 victory.
"We were doing some good blocking at the end of the second and third set, so that really took us over the hump," McCaffrey said. "Hopefully we can carry that into States."
The Knights did not surrender in the third set. Guided by head coach Jeremy Leyden (no relation to Cats' coach Jacob Layden), Hoban made important adjustments. The Knights improved the blocks at the net and regulated spacing to deflect some of the Cats' potent front line attacks.
Aided by a few nice blocks at the net, Hoban fought to an 8-8 tie to start the contest. The Knights' scrappy ability to keep the ball in play helped keep them in it, despite the Wildcats' ability to exploit holes in the visitors' armor. Teddy Koncelik softly tapped the ball over the net a couple times to beat the Hoban hitters for nice points.
Just past the midpoint of the set, the Cats clung to a 16-15 advantage. Following a Hoban error, the ball fell into the hands of Catanzaro at the service line. The junior orchestrated a couple straight points to help the Cats stretch the lead to four.
Following a timeout, Hoban turned the tide and ripped off a 4-1 run. But strong front line play by McCaffrey and Larsen halted the Knights' crusade. The Wildcats finished off the Knights with a Larsen kill to cap off a 25-20 set.
"It's a little surreal. I'm just thinking about States," McCaffrey said. "Last year, we won and we still have a good team, but it's great to celebrate the kids we have right now."
Next up for the Wildcats is another home contest on Friday. The Cats will host Walsh Jesuit in Murphy Gym.
In the meantime, the Volleyball Cats plan to work on "passing and serving," says McCaffrey.
"We've been doing it every practice and it's not paying off yet, but we'll get there."