St. Paul's Volleyball Eyes Championship

By: Kyle Knopp

It wasn’t quite the game that St. Paul’s boys volleyball coach Pat Marsh was hoping for, but it was still a three game sweep for his Crusaders over visiting St. Frances Panthers. The Crusaders, who are looking to make it back to the MIAA B conference championship game this year, dominated the Panthers (25-6, 25-17 and 25-20) even though the scores of the second and third game were closer than the play showed.

“It is easy to play the game of your opponent,” said Marsh. “Especially in the second and third games when we were getting our subs in. When [the subs] haven’t seen a lot of game experience, it makes it easier to play with the opponent instead of against them.”

St. Frances’ volleyball team is made up of boys from their basketball team and they are playing volleyball to stay in shape for the winter sport of their choice. For most of the game the Panthers were joking around and not totally involved with the sport at hand. The Crusaders opened the game with a decisive 25-6 win and then sat one of the best hitters in the league, senior Sidney McCray, on the bench for the rest of the match. Not that they would need him, even though St. Frances made a pseudo-attempt at a comeback.

In order for St. Paul’s to make it back to the championship game, they are going to have to remain focused and play their game. Last year the Crusaders faced Archbishop Spalding in the final, and even though St. Paul’s beat them twice in the regular season last year, Spalding got the best of them when it mattered the most.

“It’s been us and Boys’ Latin all year,” remarked Marsh about this season. “They’ve beat us twice in the regular season and we look to repay the favor in the championship game. Just like last year but with a better outcome for us.”

Regarding improvements needed to return to the championship, Marsh believes that the Crusaders still need to work on their setting game.

“The setter is the quarterback, shortstop and point guard for the volleyball team. Last year we graduated our top setter and this year we have been developing two new ones. We have the best hitters in the league and when our setting is on, we can play with anyone. We will even give [MIAA Conference] A-teams a run for their money.”

The Crusaders will play an exhibition game against the 15-0 St. Paul’s School for Girls volleyball team this Friday in preparation for the playoffs. They have a bye in the first round and will likely play either Archbishop Spalding or Archbishop Curley in the semifinals before the possible chance of a rematch with Boys’ Latin in the finals.

Posted Oct. 23, 2008