Two Dozen State Championships for Assumption

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Attend the Top 250 Expo 12/1 in Wilder, KY! Use coupon code "GrahamExpo2024" at checkout for $10 off registration fee!</strong> Here's the&nbsp;link to the event page:&nbsp;<a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1299/register/kentucky-top-250-expo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://events.prepdig.com/e/1299/register/kentucky-top-250-expo</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Assumption Rockets still had to earn it despite coming into the game favored to take home their 24th state championship, but they once again proved up to the task with a convincing 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-16) win over the rival Mercy Jaguars in Saturday's state championship at George Rogers Clark.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rockets (35-8) overpowered the Jaguars (27-13) at the net with their size and quickness. The tournament's most valuable player [player_tooltip player_id='172951' first='Bailey' last='Blair'] led the way with [player_tooltip player_id='172950' first='Emma' last='Barnett'] also going out in style with double-digit kills. [player_tooltip player_id='477120' first='Janie' last='Eichberger'] and [player_tooltip player_id='611724' first='Brooke' last='Codey'] helped create room along the net as Assumption hit .231 landing 41 kills on 108 attempts with 16 errors. Barnett said she remembered losing in the state semifinals her sophomore year and did not want to go out like the seniors did that season so the team used that as motivation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Assumption dug up 51 balls led once again by [player_tooltip player_id='172945' first='Kristen' last='Simon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='212396' first='Emily' last='Keiran']. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='172952' first='Emilee' last='Fuller'] passed the ball around well again and had a setter dump. The Rockets had 51 digs, six aces and 40 assists to 43 digs, no aces and 27 assists for the Jaguars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='554148' first='Emma' last='Cronen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='172954' first='Madisyn' last='Green'] tried to kickstart the Mercy offense. [player_tooltip player_id='544366' first='Addison' last='Randol'] did a lot of the setting with [player_tooltip player_id='479273' first='Mady' last='Yaden'] and [player_tooltip player_id='611834' first='Nalani' last='Derringer'] putting in some hard swings. The Jaguars just could not keep up with the Rockets landing 27 kills on 97 attempts minus 14 errors for a .134 hitting percentage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Assumption graduates eight players, but tends to reload quick. They are Simon, Fuller, Barnett, Blair, Eichberger, [player_tooltip player_id='588547' first='Kalli' last='Blair'], Claire Kuhbander and Abby McElroy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mercy graduates six seniors in Green, [player_tooltip player_id='245633' first='Maia' last='Marin'], [player_tooltip player_id='477137' first='Alyssa' last='Carter'], Kinsley Cummings, Kayla Kolb and Nora Smith.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stat Leaders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kills</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172951' first='Bailey' last='Blair'], Assumption - 14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172950' first='Emma' last='Barnett'], Assumption - 11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='479273' first='Mady' last='Yaden'], Mercy - 8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Assists</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172952' first='Emilee' last='Fuller'], Assumption - 36</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544366' first='Addison' last='Randol'], Mercy - 15</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aces</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blair - 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='212399' first='Kathryn' last='O'Toole'], Assumption - 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Digs</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172945' first='Kristen' last='Simon'], Assumption - 17</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='554148' first='Emma' last='Cronen'], Mercy - 12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172954' first='Madisyn' last='Green'], Mercy - 11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fuller - 9</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blocks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='484326' first='Carle' last='Hooe'] - 3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='611834' first='Nalani' last='Derringer'], Mercy - 3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='245633' first='Maia' last='Marin'], Mercy - 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notable Performances</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["172951"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":719537,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6730a914c5fe4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blair wound up being the sparkplug that led the Rockets to the state championship. The state tournament's MVP unleashed hard shot after hard shot mixing in tips to keep defenses guessing. Blair admitted it is hard to gel in a long season, but she said everyone kept pushing and no one gave up, thus it worked out in the end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["172952"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6730af5807917"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fuller consistently delivered solid passes throughout the tournament and even did a good job setting where her teammates told her. Fuller bends down and digs up big balls when the Rockets need them as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["172945"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":719542,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6730af5807967"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Simon has outstanding character both on and off the court and she came through in the final game of her outstanding career for the Rockets. Assumption sets up blocks to where she will be on the back end lining up her arms to dig them up. Simon shuffles her feet continuously anticipating paths of balls and doing what she can to keep plays alive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["212399"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":719545,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6730af58079b1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">O'Toole comes in for serving situations for the Rockets and plays some defense. O'Toole gave the Rockets some big momentum in that second game landing two huge aces. O'Toole said the aces brought energy to the team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["611834"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":719554,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6730af58079fa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Derringer has a promising future for the Jaguars. Derringer launched some hard balls from the strong left side and quick hitters in the middle. She opens things up for teammates running solid fakes. Derringer came in and formed huge blocks with teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->