Photo: StudentandAthlete
Pontiac Notre Dame Preparatory players and coaches pose with their MHSAA regional championship trophy on Thursday.
Division 2 No. 2-ranked and defending state champion Pontiac Notre Dame Preparatory earned a hard-fought 3-0 victory over No. 4-ranked North Branch in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Region 16 volleyball final at Notre Dame Prep on Thursday, Nov. 8.
Notre Dame Prep won 25-20, 25-19, and 25-23 to win its second straight regional title and improve to 62-5 on the season. It was Notre Dame Prep’s 52nd straight victory this season.
The Irish hit 502 as a team in beating a very strong Bronco team led by Miss Volleyball finalist Allison Severance.
Notre Dame’s Miss volleyball finalist Maddy Chinn put down 23 kills, collected a pair of blocks and had 19 digs. Fellow Miss Volleyball finalist Natalie Risi served up eight points, one ace, 19 kills, four blocks, and 15 digs. Senior Maria Famularo had another outstanding game as she had
seven kills, 26 assists and eight digs. Freshman Aly Borellis was good for six points, nine kills, 16 assists, and nine digs. Libero Olivia Kowalkowski kicked in 10 digs.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my three seniors. They are terrific seniors, great leaders. We have five freshmen out there normally, and those seniors have embraced the freshmen and helped teach them what the culture is like at Notre Dame Prep volleyball,” Notre Dame Prep head coach Betty Wroubel told reporters. “They work hard. They’re not afraid of hard work. Some kids are afraid of the work it takes to be this successful. Those kids embrace it, and they’re going to do well as they move on to their colleges.”
Notre Dame Prep advances to face upstart Detroit Communication & Media Arts in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at Goodrich.
