VOLLEYBALL: Saline Keeps Rolling With Sweep at Monroe

The Saline varsity volleyball team rolled to another victory Tuesday at Monroe High School. Saline started strong and finished stronger sweeping Monroe 25-13, 25-11 and 25-10.

The Hornets, unbeaten in the SEC Red, continue to roll. Last week the Hornets defeated Skyline. Over the weekend, the Hornets beat Northville.

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Coach Darien Bandel said she thinks the Hornets are poised to make a long playoff run this year.

"We started off unranked and now we're starting to gain some momentum and gain some attention. We beat North Branch over the weekend. We beat Northville." Bandel said. "As we get further and further into our season and we're starting to rev up, with districts announced Monday, we just want to make sure we're not going through the motions and that every single rep we're taking is with a purpose."

Monday night, Saline excelled in many areas of the game.

"We played great. We got everyone in. Everyone contributed. The energy was great on the bench. We're definitely working on some offensive schemes but I thought passing and defense continues to be amazing," Bandel said.

In the opening set, Saline was down 3-0 and 6-3 before they turned it on. Sophomore middle hitter Ashley Addison had two straight kills and Laney Burns followed with a kill to tie the score. 

Saline took its first lead of the game,  8-7, on a kill by sophomore Marie Laurio. Up 9-8, Saline went on a four-point run that featured a kill by Anna Hesse and an ace from Addison. Kathleen Fredericks served an ace and Laurio drilled another kill during another four-point run that made it 18-10.

Up 20-12, Laurio took over. She fired three straight kills. Cazzie Smith served an ace to get to set point. Monroe survived one set point, but Laurio ended it on her next opportunity and Saline won, 25-13.

In the second set, Saline was up 2-1 when they went on a 4-point run for some separation. Oliva Behen had a kill and Fredericks served an ace during the run that gave Saline a 6-1 lead. The Trojans followed with five straight points, but the Hornets rebounded with a kill by Beth Ann Ford,  kill by Addison and then an ace by Behen.

Hesse had a kill and Laurio had two during a four-point run that made it 14-7 Saline.

Then it was time for the Ashley Addison show. She started a rally with a kill. Then she went to the service line. By the time she was done, Saline led 23-9 - and Addison had four aces during seven-point run. Ford also had a block and a kill.

Saline clinched the set on a kill by Molly Rigg.

In the third set, Saline led 8-6 when the Hornets took over an eight-point run. Behen served four consecutive aces along the way.

Ford polished off the Trojans with two kills, including the set and match-clinching point.

INTERVIEWS

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