Marian fends off game Skyline to repeat as Division 1 champs

<p>BATTLE CREEK – From the second the final point was scored of the 2020 Division 1 volleyball season, the Marian Mustangs were already the pre-crowned 2021 champions.</p> <p>Not losing a single member from the 2021 championship squad, the Mustangs were expected to be even stronger than they were the year prior.</p> <p>And that they were.</p> <p>On Saturday, Ann Arbor Skyline gave Marian a tough battle in the 2021 Division 1 final, but the Mustangs showed that they are one of the top teams in the nation, not just the state, by getting past the Eagles in four sets 25-18, 25-22, 25-18, 25-19.</p> [caption id="attachment_166290" align="alignright" width="250"]<img class="wp-image-166290 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/Marian-vs-Skyline-VB-49-250x300.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66328" first="Ava" last="Sarafa"][/caption] <p>“I wouldn’t mind a national championship,” Marian coach Mayssa Cook said of her team. “Of course you can’t play in a real tournament, but I do believe that we are up there in the top one or two for sure.”</p> <p>The top-ranked Mustangs (53-1) hadn’t been challenged much this postseason, but the fourth-ranked Eagles (55-4-2) made them earn it.</p> <p>After Marian stormed out in the first half, Skyline got its legs under them and started to turn the tide in the second set. Improved passing and serving from the Eagles kept Marian at bay throughout the set to even the match at 1-1.</p> <p>“I think our fight really helped us,” Skyline junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66319" first="Harper" last="Murray"]</strong> said. “We knew we were kind of the underdog going into the game, so I think our drive and our fight really helped us get some points.”</p> <p>The third set was tight as well, with Marian leading by just two at 16-14 before the Mustangs started to pull away. Miss Volleyball winner <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24846" first="Ava" last="Brizard"] </strong>picked up a couple of key kills and setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66328" first="Ava" last="Sarafa"] </strong>got the offense rolling again.</p> <p>Skyline would make a final push in the fourth set, trailing just 20-19, but the Mustangs scored the final five points of the match to close it out.</p> [caption id="attachment_166291" align="alignright" width="208"]<img class="wp-image-166291 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/DSC_9824-208x300.jpg" alt="" width="208" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66319" first="Harper" last="Murray"][/caption] <p>“We came here to give them a fight and to make sure this was not just going to be a walk in the park,” Skyline coach Chris Cristian said. “We just weren’t able to serve receive as well as we were earlier in the match.”</p> <p>Brizard and Murray each had 25 kills, respectively, to lead their teams. Brizard added 13 digs while Murray had 14.</p> <p>Sarafa tallied 44 assists and 12 digs for Marian, while <strong>Sophie Treder </strong>wrapped up a solid weekend with nine kills and 10 digs for the Mustangs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66305" first="Lauren" last="Heming"] </strong>added 12 digs for Marian’s defense.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="60856" first="Lauren" last="Lee"] </strong>had 46 assists and eight digs for Skyline, while <strong>Jordan Hall </strong>had 21 digs and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24843" first="Cari" last="Bohm"] </strong>tallied 11 kills.</p>