3A attackers at States, Sterling Champs
Prep Dig Kansas covers live summer event in Topeka.
Brian Gibboney
<p>Moving into the afternoon and evening sessions of the IHSA 2019 Girls Volleyball Tournament, you could see the play elevate to a high paced, fast action level. You could compare it to finishing a video game on level one, then jumping to level 50. Thank you, Sterling and Joliet Catholic for providing a great final! First, we'll look at the match then the high rising attackers from the match.</p>
<p>Sterling defeated JCA 25-16. 25-19, but not without a fight. Despite losing one of their best players in Emily Wilson before the tournament, JCA has fought hard to get here and throughout this match.</p>
<p>Set one started fast and furious, with Sterling's Brook Borum collecting most of the kills but also her team making most of the errors. Down 5-6, Sterling Sterling went on a 4-1 run and never looked back. JCA's talented Ray Bella added a few kills in the set to bring the match within one point at 11-12, but the Angels could never catch up. The Sterling Golden warriors flew ahead with a 9-2 run, then treading on to a 25-16 win.</p>
<p>If you compare set one and set two, they look very similar in the beginning. Sterling again pulls away at 12-11, but this time in small bunches, 2-1 here, 3-1 there. JCA tried to keep up but could not keep pace, closing the gap only once, before falling to Sterling, 25-19.</p>
<p>JCA will graduate three this year while Sterling's senior loss is the least of any team at the State Finals with two graduating this year, This does not bode well for the rest of the 3A class. </p>
<p><strong>Player, Yr, Ht, Pos, Team </strong><br />
<strong>Jillian Gray, 2021, 6'0, OH, Joliet Catholic Academy</strong><br />
Jillian had 9 kills and 6 digs for the match as she was the "goto" player as JCA tried to defeat Sterling.<br />
<strong><br />
Kristen Leuszler, 2021, 6'1, RS, Joliet Catholic Academy<br />
</strong>With no hitting errors, Kristen had 4 kills and a .308 hitting percentage in the match. She added 6 digs to her total.<br />
<strong><br />
Ryan Hinshaw, 2021, 5'9, S, Joliet Catholic Academy<br />
</strong>Handing out 21 of the Angels 13 assists, Ryan also contributed with 6 digs and 1 block assist.<strong><br />
<br />
Grace Egan, 2023, 6'0, OH, Sterling<br />
</strong>Not a Borum, Grace had an amazing .526 hitting percentage with 11 kills on 19 attempts and only one hitting error. She served up one ace and picked up 5 digs.</p>
<p><strong>Brook Borum, 2021, 6'1, OH, Sterling</strong><br />
Hitting a .394%, Brook had 16 kills and 4 assists to go along with 6 digs for the Golden Warriors.<strong><br />
<br />
Bree Borum, 2021, 6'0, S/RS, Sterling<br />
</strong>She's a threat as an attacker with 5 kills; a setter who dishes 20 assists and a defender with 9 digs. She was one dig shy of a double-double.<strong><br />
<br />
</strong></p>
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