D1 Finals Recap: Mercy Blocks Bloomfield Hills From Title

<!-- wp:image {"id":909470,"width":"480px","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/5/2025/11/Mercy-vs-Bloomfield-Hills-15.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-909470" style="width:480px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Farmington Hills Mercy was ready to throw everything it had at Bloomfield Hills star <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226909' first='Kayla' last='Nwabueze']</strong>, even if it meant the kitchen sink.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Marlins used 6'5” <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='569766' first='McKenzie' last='Andrews']</strong>, 6'4” <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226875' first='Ella' last='Andrews']</strong>, 6'2” <strong>Saniya Tucker</strong>, and 6'1” <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442987' first='Kate' last='Kalczynski']</strong> to make up a big block aimed at Nwabueze.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While it didn't stop the Harvard commit, it did enough to keep her from single-handedly pushing the Black Hawks to the state title. Mercy came through with 14 team blocks to pick up a 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-20 victory and its third state title in program history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Our plan was to shut down Kayla and put big blocks up, make them change something else. And I thought that worked for us,” Mercy coach Loretta Vogel said. “I thought the girls got up there and just put four hands in front of her, and there was one time we triple blocked. So, I think and changing something up like that and giving her a different view had an impact on her. For any hitter, that would have an impact.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nwabuze, who still put down a match-high 24 kills, admitted that the Marlins' defense was something she had to think about more than usual.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“It was really frustrating because I knew that they were going to come out and try to stop me, and I just had the mentality of don't let that happen. But, I feel like I got into a rut a couple times. I really tried hard to try to get past that block. It was a really big block,” she said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mercy took the first two sets behind strong finishes, and seemed to be on its way to a sweep in the third, but <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='584598' first='Allison' last='Stakoe'] </strong>stepped up and came through with four kills in a five-point stretch for the Black Hawks, flipping the third set and forcing the match to a fourth set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bloomfield Hills was up in the fourth as well, but the Marlins adjusted and put a defensive emphasis on Kalczysnki in the back row, and she came through with timely digs that opened the door for the Marlins to close the door on Bloomfield Hills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“So, we moved (Kalczynski) over. We moved her to a different position, at five defensively. I thought that changed everything, (was) huge,” Vogel said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='226875' first='Ella' last='Andrews'] had two solo and five assisted blocks to lead the defensive charge for Mercy. She also had 13 kills while hitting .345. Kalczysnki finished with 16 kills and 12 digs, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226899' first='Cree' last='Hollier'] </strong>had 12 kills, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226944' first='Maya' last='Zarow'] </strong>had 24 digs, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='709559' first='Kaelyn' last='Easton'] </strong>had 44 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nwabueze had 13 digs to go with her 24 kills. Stakoe finished with 20 kills and 14 digs for the Black Hawks, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='512892' first='Brynn' last='Wilcox'] </strong>had 42 assists, and <strong>Alyssa Moir </strong>had 20 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->