It's time to make your pick for this years winner. I had picked Sacred Heart, and they folded at year end unfortunately.

I will make two predictions:

 

1) A public school will defy the odds and become the 2015 Runner-Up.

 

2) A Catholic school will fight through adversity and take home the big trophy on Sunday.

 

How's that for going out on a limb? I'm feeling bold today.

Upper bracket - who cares

Lower bracket - Assumption (sorry NDA)

My predictions:

 

1. No public school makes the finals. Owensboro Catholic wins the top half of the bracket.

 

2. Henry clay hangs close to NDA for beginning of the match, but NDA takes control and wins. I think this one could go four sets.

 

3. Assumption takes home the title. It would be their 19th in 24 years.

1. No public school makes the finals. Owensboro Catholic wins the top half of the bracket.

Agree

2. Henry clay hangs close to NDA for beginning of the match, but NDA takes control and wins. I think this one could go four sets

Agree

3. Assumption takes home the title. It would be their 19th in 24 years.

Too close to call. Mercy and NDA will both have their shot to derail the machine that is Assumption.

My predictions:

 

1. No public school makes the finals. Owensboro Catholic wins the top half of the bracket.

 

2. Henry clay hangs close to NDA for beginning of the match, but NDA takes control and wins. I think this one could go four sets.

 

3. Assumption takes home the title. It would be their 19th in 24 years.

 

It would be Karma for Owensboro Carholic to win the upper bracket. The Catholic conspiracy people will be breaking out the tinfoil.

 

I think HC might take a set from NDA. Emotions and adrenaline will be in play, but in a best of five, emotions won't win, talent and teamwork will.

 

NDA has a better shot at taking down Assumption than Mercy. They've beaten them before and taken sets from them in the losses. Mercy has been swept in both matches with Assumption this year.

Mercy loses and Assumption takes NDA in 5. Assumption sleepwalks to the title on Sunday. To be honest, they could probably just sleep in and send their freshman team to Valley on Sunday and win it.

Gotta go with the Pandas. It's their time. This senior class has consistently beaten Assumption and Mercy on both the Freshman and JV level and in club. They also have wins vs Assumption this year. Mercy is a monkey they need to get off their back (last victory in 2012 I believe).

 

I hate to say it but the question mark for me vs Assumption will be the coaching. Ron and his staff out coached Buck and staff at the season finale in Park Hills. Ron is not afraid to sub if a player is not performing and I just don't see that with Buck. He seems set on a line up and hasn't really changed it in the two seasons he has been at NDA. Ron is also great in the State Tournament...hard to argue with his success. Buck is young and learning but this is his last shot for many years. Hope he doesn't let it slip away.

 

With regard to Mercy....I have only seen them once and their offense was fast and effective as well as their ball control. Their middle play was not as consistently strong as Assumption's so I think NDA matches up better with them. Coaching should be even with Mercy having a new coach as well but I think he has more experience than NDA. I believe he retained some staff from the past few seasons and that always helps with transition.

 

That being said, I agree with other posters about Henry Clay on Friday....I think the Pandas will have their hands full but will win that match in 4. Scott should not be a challenge in the second round.

 

Bottom line is NDA supporting cast of Salkowski, Knaley, Draud and Hardig need to bring some offense to the table. The ball control and setting has been consistently good the last few weeks but we need some offense out of someone other than Hentz. Would love to see Hentz end her storied career with a State Championship and I know she will do everything in her power to make it happen.

 

Go Pandas!

Well said!

On one post, wxyz criticizes NDA coach and on Cooper post says that AD is charged with evaluation of head coach. "Disgruntled parents are the worst evaluators of coaches". My guess is NDA AD supports NDA coach fully. Runs a great program and has support of players and staff.

 

Outcoached by Ron! Really! Every high school and club coach in the country that has coached against him can say that.

 

If this is NDA's last chance, that leads me to believe there isn't some star in waiting on the bench. Potentially a situational sub which I've seen NDA utilize. Assumption has a loaded sophomore and freshman class to turn to so way more options and depth. Anyone think that might be the reason Ron turns to his bench more freely?

 

With all that said, big win will need role players for NDA to score points. I'm not sure I see that happening enough against Assumption.

 

Assumption wins State only dropping 1 set on their weekend to NDA in the semifinal match is my prediction.

On one post, wxyz criticizes NDA coach and on Cooper post says that AD is charged with evaluation of head coach. "Disgruntled parents are the worst evaluators of coaches". My guess is NDA AD supports NDA coach fully. Runs a great program and has support of players and staff.

 

Outcoached by Ron! Really! Every high school and club coach in the country that has coached against him can say that.

 

If this is NDA's last chance, that leads me to believe there isn't some star in waiting on the bench. Potentially a situational sub which I've seen NDA utilize. Assumption has a loaded sophomore and freshman class to turn to so way more options and depth. Anyone think that might be the reason Ron turns to his bench more freely?

 

With all that said, big win will need role players for NDA to score points. I'm not sure I see that happening enough against Assumption.

 

Assumption wins State only dropping 1 set on their weekend to NDA in the semifinal match is my prediction.

 

Ok I will play along...

 

I wasn't criticizing Buck to the point of the Cooper people on this board and anyone who reads my posts knows that. I am an avid supporter of ALL coaches and adamantly against parents...I am not one.

 

I simply state facts and that is that Buck has utilized almost the same line up for two years. He had a different Libero and middle last year who both graduated and has made virtually no changes this year. That is a fact, not necessarily a criticism. The people who talk about Cooper coaches are gossiping and talking about here say. Very different.

 

NDA has a player on the bench who can help and maybe she will get a chance. I would argue they have two.

 

This will all fall out on Saturday night and my money is still on the Pandas and Buck.

Is there a link to watch the games?

On one post, wxyz criticizes NDA coach and on Cooper post says that AD is charged with evaluation of head coach. "Disgruntled parents are the worst evaluators of coaches". My guess is NDA AD supports NDA coach fully. Runs a great program and has support of players and staff.

 

Outcoached by Ron! Really! Every high school and club coach in the country that has coached against him can say that.

 

If this is NDA's last chance, that leads me to believe there isn't some star in waiting on the bench. Potentially a situational sub which I've seen NDA utilize. Assumption has a loaded sophomore and freshman class to turn to so way more options and depth. Anyone think that might be the reason Ron turns to his bench more freely?

 

With all that said, big win will need role players for NDA to score points. I'm not sure I see that happening enough against Assumption.

 

Assumption wins State only dropping 1 set on their weekend to NDA in the semifinal match is my prediction.

 

No matter how it is disguised, it comes down to the same thing....."Play my kid more!".

 

Fans that are supportive of the coach and program don't get on here and second guess their decisions, to any degree. That's the bottom line.

NDA wins 27-25, 27-25, 25-15.

 

NDA was down late in both game 1 & 2 and came back to win.

 

The 13 errors from Hentz and zero production from OPP position are concerning. I would expect Hentz to play better tomorrow. Buck went to the sub being asked for to start G2 and she (Stephenson) played better than the typical starter (Knaley) but wasn't necessarily a statistical impact either. It's not realistic to expect OH2 (Draud) to hit .333 against Assumption tomorrow so they are going to have to find some more consistency from other spots.

 

NOTRE DAME (32-5)

Player K E TA Pct. A DG BS-BA

SHANNON SAELINGER 0 0 0 .000 1 6 0-0

MORGAN HENTZ 20 13 47 .149 1 15 0-1

JACKIE NOLL 0 0 0 .000 2 9 0-0

HANNAH TALKERS 1 1 4 .000 39 9 0-1

NATALIE HARDIG 7 2 18 .278 1 1 0-4

MADISON SALKOWSKI 6 2 12 .333 0 0 0-2

SARAH DRAUD 11 3 24 .333 0 1 0-2

LAINEY STEPHENSON 1 1 9 .000 0 0 0-2

HANNA KNALEY 0 3 5 -.600 0 2 0-0

HANNAH COLVIN 0 0 0 .000 0 12 0-0

MEGAN SAELINGER 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0-0

Totals 46 25 119 .176 44 56 6.0

Assumption wins in 4.

 

NDA needed one or two role players to have a 12-15 kill performance. That didn't happen. Instead, they got 6 from everyone else.

 

Hardig contributed 8 blocks. Salkowski 0 blocks? Assumption hit .324 and they are the better, more balanced team.

 

Very successful season and careers from the seniors. In the moment, it's difficult and feels incomplete. Soon, they will feel great about their accomplishments and have positive memories that will last a lifetime.

Thanks KHSAA for the thrilling state final match!

 

25-5, 25-14, 25-10

Sad to see the season end. Wasn't able to make it to Louiville but watched the matches online. Seemed to me the better team won.