9th Region Championship: Comeback Leaders in NDA reverse sweep

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Editor's Notes: Do you want to get in front of Prep Dig Scouts? This is one big way to do it. The annual Kentucky Exposure Tour in Wilder is Nov. 28. Click on this link to register:</em> <a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/2489/register/prep-dig-exposure-tour-kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://events.prepdig.com/e/2489/register/prep-dig-exposure-tour-kentucky</a>. <em>For 25 percent off, type</em> ET26Mike25OFF <em>at checkout.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tradition-rich Notre Dame Pandas do not carry magic potions nor do they have any supernatural abilities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They just bear down with grit and determination. Notre Dame needed that and more falling behind 2-0 in the region championship at Dayton to come back to post the 3-2 (24-26, 22-25, 25-13, 25-15, 15-10) win over the 35th District rival Beechwood Tigers for their fifth straight region championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It has been more challenging this year as Beechwood and St. Henry exposed some weaknesses during the regular season in Notre Dame's first two region losses since 2021. However, the Pandas came back to beat Beechwood in the 35th District Title game then beat both in the region tournament on the way to yet another crown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Notre Dame had to overcome an injury to freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1000647' first='Sophia' last='Bramlage'], but Charlotte Verst came in and filled in nicely. [player_tooltip player_id='727131' first='Kaia' last='Tilden'], [player_tooltip player_id='741510' first='Dara' last='Jackson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='774790' first='Elise' last='Grout'] held things together in the back row with setter [player_tooltip player_id='798218' first='Ellie' last='Osterkamp'] dishing off nice balls to [player_tooltip player_id='484250' first='Teagan' last='Kondik'], [player_tooltip player_id='727143' first='Makayla' last='Roose'], [player_tooltip player_id='731698' first='Ellie' last='Breitling'] and even [player_tooltip player_id='741504' first='Emma' last='Redlinger']. The coaches said they moved some people around trying to utilize more areas of the court in the third set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We weren't just setting up in the regular go, one, nine formation that we sometimes find ourselves in," Notre Dame co-head coach Madison Salkowski said. "We really needed to start utilizing more parts of their court that they're not in. I think that in the first two sets, we were just kind of in this groove and we needed to break out of it in order to exceed and go further into the next level."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beechwood built the 2-0 lead by controlling the net with [player_tooltip player_id='484443' first='Macy' last='Armstrong'] and [player_tooltip player_id='456263' first='Rachel' last='Lewandowski'] making big blocks and even [player_tooltip player_id='992381' first='Charlotte' last='Conway'] and [player_tooltip player_id='938521' first='Payce' last='Adams'] helping out there. but Notre Dame changed that in the final three sets. [player_tooltip player_id='484442' first='Isabel' last='O'Brien'] had another good game taking nice sets from [player_tooltip player_id='456668' first='Skylr' last='Estep'] and [player_tooltip player_id='947991' first='Hailey' last='Flaherty'] when Estep had to come out with an injury. [player_tooltip player_id='966134' first='Kennedy' last='Sturgeon'] tracked down a number of balls with [player_tooltip player_id='1040706' first='Emma' last='Harris'] and [player_tooltip player_id='476283' first='Emma' last='Stewart'] making little things happen to give Beechwood that lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Notre Dame hosts 10th Region champion Bishop Brossart on Monday in the first round of the state tournament. These five did what they could trying to help the respective teams to the region championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["774790"],"_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":1058152,"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae40da7cb511"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Pandas try like crazy to not let balls hit their side of the floor and Grout more than exemplifies that. She had a huge dig during the game that landed on the other side for a big point. Grout makes the simple passes and does not hesitate to lunge after balls under control to keep plays alive. Grout said defense is all about pursuit and going after balls trying to get touches even if one does not believe she can get to them in time. Grout added she happened to be in the right position to get her hands under it and send it over for the huge point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["484250"],"_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":1058158,"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae40fff25c6d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kondik rose up and made a number of solid plays expected from a sound all-around player to lift the Pandas to another region crown. The tournament most valuable player takes a number of sharp line swings and crosses and her back row hitting has improved drastically from last year. Kondik makes the simple passes and is an aggressive server. Kondik said having at least four options at all times is super helpful because opponents can't predict where the ball is going and she credited Osterkamp for putting balls different places and the Pandas practice pipes a good bit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["727143"],"_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":1058163,"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae4115801aa5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roose used her size to once again make a difference at the net for the Pandas. Roose attacks seams with precision and paints side lines with precision. Roose is tough on ones and pounds down overpassed balls with authority. Roose gets on top of balls and uses a quick arm swing to put amazing power into them. Roose also forms great double blocks at the net. Roose said the trust in each other made a difference on the blocking after she said she felt the blocking lacked in the first two sets. Roose credited the teamwork for bringing the net play up and made it so much more fun at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["992381"],"_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":1058168,"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae4122d5afb0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Conway has a bright future ahead of her for the Tigers. She won some jousts to help Beechwood built the 2-0 lead and extends her arms to get hands on balls at the net. Her aggressive plays leads to a number of blocks for Beechwood. Conway also showed she can tool blocks on talented hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["938521"],"_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":1058172,"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae4122d5b018"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Adams did what she could trying to help the Tigers to that elusive region championship. She is an aggressive server and does a good job taking her time to make timely swings to tool blockers. Adams makes sound first touches in the back row finding different ways to produce at all six spots on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for two and a half years and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigkentucky/#">prepdigkentucky</a>, @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigtennessee/#">prepdigtennessee</a> or @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigoh/#">prepdigoh</a> on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy, @PrepDigTN or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky, Tennessee or Ohio needs coverage or even have feedback on the Kentucky or Tennessee rankings, please email Mike at michaelgraham@prepdig.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham. Subscriptions give you access to exclusive content. For a 30% discount on yearly subscriptions, enter code graham30 at checkout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->