Prep Volleyball: Catonsville Coasts Past Lansdowne in Straight Games

After starting the season 0-3 with challenging games against three tough opponents, Catonsville head coach Amanda Kaufman and the rest of the Comets are happy, and relieved, to finally notch one in the win column.

Wednesday night the Comets downed a previously unbeaten Lansdowne squad in straight games (25-12, 25-7, 25-21) in a match where they never trailed, despite the Vikings’ refusal to give up down the stretch.

“It’s nice to have a win and start gaining momentum into the rest of the season,” Kaufman said. “Our three hardest matches were at the beginning, but we still have Dulaney and Seton Keough as it goes on. But, it’s nice to actually have a win.”  

Kaufman specifically highlighted her team’s ability to make in-game adjustments on the court as well as their aggressiveness in the serve game as key factors in the victory.

Catonsville’s effort was led by senior libero Becca Pierce who patrolled the middle of the court while sophomore Natalie Bockmiller set up a number of kills from the outside and junior Danielle Francy helped finish them off at the net.

During the second game in particular, Francy used her height to wreck havoc up front, helping the Comets go on a seven point run to turn a once close contest early on (7-4) into a 14-4 lead and an eventual runaway.

Lansdowne (3-1) did well to scrap back in the final game following that rough second set. Down by as many as seven points in the game, the Vikings clawed back to come within one point at 20-19 before Catonsville’s Lauren Bennett—seemingly set up for a hard spike—lightly tapped the ball over the front line to win a crucial point and swing the momentum back in the Comets’ favor.

Despite it being her team’s first loss of the young season, Lansdowne coach Jamie Izdebski was proud of the way her squad played, especially given that they were without top setter Maude McCourry—and up against arguably their toughest opponent so far this year.

“We stepped up and played very well,” Izdebski said. “We were without a player so the girls were out of position, the setter had to play the full time and Channon [Neville] did very well with that.

“We are very scrappy. We are not a very tall team, but we are scrappy on defense. They go after the ball, they hustle, they talk to one another and they play as a team. That’s what makes our team our team.”

The Vikings also got a strong effort from senior Brianna Morris who put away several kill shots, including five in the opening game.

However, it was the final game that drew praise from Izdebski. Already down two games and trailing in the third, the Vikings had every reason to pack it in.

“I’m very happy that the girls didn’t hang their heads,” Izdebski said. “They stayed in it and picked it up the last game. They didn’t give up.”

The Vikings will look to rebound then they remain home to take on Perry Hall, Friday at 5 p.m. while the Comets attempt to continue their momentum when they host Patapsco Friday night, also at 5 p.m.