D3 Semifinal Recap & Standouts: New Champion Coming

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a rare feat, the same four teams to appear in the Division 3 semifinals in 2023 appeared again in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The matchups were shifted, but the quality of play remained high.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the end, a new state champion will be crowned as Traverse City St. Francis bested the defending champions in a five-set thriller. The Gladiators now get top-ranked SMCC, which defeated Cass City in four sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>No. 1 SMCC def. No. 5 Cass City, 3-1</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":723271,"width":"283px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/SMCC-vs-Cass-City-11.jpg?w=853" alt="" class="wp-image-723271" style="width:283px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='156292' first='Jessica' last='Costlow']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The semifinals on Friday opened with top-ranked SMCC holding off a late surge from Cass City to win 25-12, 25-21, 23-25, 25-21.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>SMCC looked impressive in the opening set, as it went up 10-4 and never looked back. While the usual suspects of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156292' first='Jessica' last='Costlow'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226889' first='Madeline' last='Dettling'] </strong>were putting the ball away, the Kestrels got offensive contributions from <strong>Felicity Mugler </strong>and <strong>Quinn Harrington </strong>as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the second, Cass City was more competitive, but couldn't quite put together long enough of a rally to get ahead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The same was trending in the third when senior middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156307' first='Shelby' last='Ignash']</strong> signaled to her coach, Amy Cuthrell, that she wanted a timeout and then led the huddle. After that, the Red Hawks looked like a different team. Led by Ignash's play at the net and from the service line, Cass City took the third and put the pressure on SMCC to respond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“That's something that is new for us this year,” Cuthrell said of Ignash calling the timeout. “She's really grown. Her energy is exactly what the rest of the team reflects, so when Shelby is up, everybody is up. They follow her.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the fourth, the Kestrels put the match out of reach with a 5-0 rally to go up 22-16. <strong>Oliva Beaudrie </strong>had two kills in the rally. The closing point came from Costlow, who finished with 20 kills in the match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've been here multiple times now and it was an aspect of ‘we're not going to do this to ourselves again,'” SMCC coach Kim Windham said of not letting the two-set lead slip away. “We're going to make (Cass City) beat us. We just had to regroup and not make errors and make (Cass City) have to beat us.” &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Costlow had 17 digs to go with her 20 kills while Dettling finished with 12 kills and 10 digs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156321' first='McKenna' last='Payne'] </strong>had a solid all-around match with seven kills, 12 digs, and 18 assists. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='456251' first='Alexa' last='Turner'] </strong>added 31 assists and six digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ignash led Cass City with 22 kills, 14 digs, two solo blocks and two aces. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='172195' first='Kacee' last='Gray'] </strong>added 20 kills and 17 digs, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='250066' first='Isabelle' last='Phillips'] </strong>had 29 assists and 13 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>SMCC improves to 38-4-1 with the victory, while Cass City closes its season at 37-10-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>No. 6 TC St. Francis def. No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian, 3-2</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":723310,"width":"304px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/KZ-Christian-vs-TCSF-12.jpg?w=847" alt="" class="wp-image-723310" style="width:304px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='220968' first='Quinn' last='Yenshaw']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a match that was worthy of the setting, the Gladiators of Traverse City St. Francis prevailed over defending D3 champs, Kalamazoo Christian by scores of 24-26, 26-24, 21-25, 25-19, 15-7.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The match was very evenly played through four sets, but the Gladiators managed to find another gear in the fifth to pick up the most lopsided set victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Comets led 6-4 before St. Francis got rolling on the serve of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='220968' first='Quinn' last='Yenshaw']</strong>. The junior put together two aces and also had three kills from the back row to put the Gladiators up 9-6. The Comets ended the run on a service error, but St. Francis responded with six straight points to close out the match, including back-to-back aces from junior <strong>Harper Nausadis </strong>to seal the victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“The story of that match was just grit, and absolutely refusing to lose,” St. Francis coach Kathleen Nance said. “I am proud of the girls. I think we just proved something to ourselves and proved something to everyone watching. We're here, and we're ready to fight for it.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams put together impressive scrambles to keep points alive throughout the match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='223048' first='Avery' last='Nance'] </strong>placed a key role in the victory, as she had 32 digs and a pair of aces. <strong>Grace Mason </strong>added 10 digs, and was pointed out by the coach for coming through in some big moments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not to be outdone, <strong>Carien Ybema </strong>of Kalamazoo Christian tallied 26 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I think our girls left everything they had on the court. Traverse City St. Francis played with a lot of heart. It wasn't the outcome we wanted, but I am really proud of my girls,” Comets coach Carlie Southland said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Annelise de Jong </strong>had 20 kills with 15 digs and four aces to lead Kalamazoo Christian on Friday. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='732242' first='Hayden' last='Deming'] </strong>added 12 kills and seven digs, while <strong>Reagan Zuiderveen </strong>had 40 assists with 15 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yenshaw finished with a match-high 26 kills for St. Francis, and also had four aces and seven digs. <strong>Landry Touch </strong>had 13 kills while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226903' first='Reese' last='Jones'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='354004' first='Tessah' last='Konas'] </strong>combined for 48 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Francis improves to 35-12-3 with the win, while Kalamazoo Christian closes its season at 31-9-2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->