By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame and St. Henry will meet in the championship final of the 9th Region volleyball tournament for the 15th time in 21 years, but Ryle nearly sidetracked the rematch in the semifinals on Tuesday at St. Henry.
St. Henry needed a 15-10 win in the fifth set to get past Ryle, 3-2, in a battle between teams ranked No. 4 and No. 9 in the latest Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association poll. St. Henry (33-5) won two of the first three sets, but Ryle (24-9) held off a late comeback by the Crusaders in the fourth set to come away with a 25-22 decision.
In the fifth set, St. Henry took an early 7-2 lead. Ryle came back tie it, 9-9, but the Crusaders closed it out with a 6-1 run. Their final four points came on three kills and a service ace.
Both teams have mostly underclassmen on their rosters. St. Henry won their regular season match, 3-0, on Oct. 15, a few days after one of Ryle’s top seniors, Lucy Trapp, suffered a season-ending knee injury.
But the Raiders won three post-season playoffs matches with Trapp on the bench and they nearly upset St. Henry.
Notre Dame, the top-ranked team in the state, defeated Highlands, 3-0, in the first region semifinal match Tuesday. The Pandas (30-3) have won most of their matches this season in straight sets, including a 3-0 win over St. Henry.
The teams meet again in the region final at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Henry. Notre Dame holds an 8-6 edge in 14 previous region championship matches against the Crusaders, including a 3-0 win in last year’s final.
In the 8th Region volleyball tournament on Tuesday, Simon Kenton defeated defending champion Oldham County, 3-1, in a rematch between last year’s finalists. The Pioneers advance to the semifinals and play Collins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Eminence.
Scott moved into the semifinal round of the 10th Region tournament at Bracken County with a 3-0 win over Bourbon County on Tuesday. If the Eagles defeat Pendleton County at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, they’ll be in region final for the third straight year.
Region volleyball tournaments
9th REGION AT ST. HENRY
Sunday
Highlands 3, Cooper 0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-20)
Notre Dame 3, Villa Madonna 0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-10)
Ryle 3, Newport Central Catholic 0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-11)
St. Henry 3, Beechwood 1 (25-16, 25-15, 11-25, 25-21)
Tuesday
Notre Dame 3, Highlands 0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-12)
St. Henry 3, Ryle 2 (25-15, 15-25, 25-14, 22-25, 15-10)
Wednesday
Championship match: Notre Dame (30-3) vs. St. Henry (33-5), 6:30 p.m.
10th REGION AT BRACKEN COUNTY
Monday
Montgomery County 3, Harrison County 0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-22)
Brossart 3, Bracken County 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-12)
Tuesday
Pendleton County 3, Augusta 1 (25-6, 25-9, 21-25, 25-10)
Scott 3, Bourbon County 0 (25-7, 25-16, 25-17)
Wednesday
Brossart vs. Montgomery County, 6 p.m.
Scott vs. Pendleton County, 7:45 p.m.
Thursday
Championship match, 6:30 p.m.
8th REGION AT EMINENCE
Monday
North Oldham 3, Shelby County 0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-5)
Grant County 3, Henry County 0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-21)
Tuesday
Collins 3, Eminence 0
Simon Kenton 3, Oldham County 1 (25-21, 25-17, 13-25, 25-17)
Wednesday
North Oldham vs. Grant County, 6 p.m.
Simon Kenton vs. Collins, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Championship match, 7 p.m.