Maureen Kaiser said she schedules the 22-time state volleyball champion Assumption Rockets early in the season to see where the St. Henry Crusaders stand with them.
Assumption came up Interstate 71 from Louisville and left with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-15) victory. The Rockets have won at least 26 in a row in the series dating back to 2002, including the 2005 and 2006 state championship games.
Kaiser said Assumption (4-0) did better with ball control in the win. The Rockets unofficially had 44 kills, 37 assists, eight aces, 35 digs and four blocks with St. Henry unofficially tallying 29 kills, 21 assists, four aces, 37 digs and 11 blocks for the Crusaders (3-1).
Elizabeth Tabeling dug up 16 balls with Macy Lenz recording 13 assists and eight digs to lead St. Henry. Alivia Skidmore led the Crusaders with 12 kills with Anna Guard recording nine kills and six blocks. Madi Demler had five assists and five digs.
“We have a long way to go,” Kaiser said. “It’s just early. Am I disappointed? Yes. But it’s not from the intensity or the hustle. We just had some mental errors. We give them four points and take one.”
Assumption libero Kristen Simon dug up 21 balls to start the attack. Emilee Fuller dished out 35 assists with Charlotte Moriarty leading the Rockets with 12 kills. Emma Barnett and Bailey Blair had 11 and nine kills respectively. Chloe Smith landed three aces.
The first game stayed tight early. Smith landed three straight aces to put Assumption up 6-4. The Rockets led 9-4 before the Crusaders rallied to tie it at 16 when Skidmore put down a kill. The Crusaders tied it at 20 on a Demler kill before the Rockets scored four in a row and pulled off the win.
Assumption jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the second game before St. Henry tied it at 10 when Demler landed consecutive aces. The game stayed close after that until the Rockets ran off five straight to go up 24-17 ultimately winning it when Blair landed a kill.
The Rockets scored the first three points of the third game before St. Henry ran off five in a row. The Rockets followed with 11 in a row. St. Henry cut it to 19-11 before Assumption pulled away.
St. Henry plays host to Mercy McAuley (1-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m.