Pomorski an instant hit for Brother Rice

Updated: April 7, 2011 4:04PM

Through 11 games that had produced a 5-6 record, Brother Rice coach Br. Paul Ickes had seen inconsistency doom his team again and again.

Opening Catholic League Blue play Tuesday, Ickes saw it again versus rival St. Rita.

Saving the Crusaders was a senior playing a position he'd never played before. Starting at outside hitter, Brian Pomorski's nine kills helped turn the match around in a 30-28, 25-16 win.

"We tried a new lineup today, moving our right side to outside, and Brian did it with no practice," Ickes said. "He adjusted on the fly and did really well. We played with intensity, and I didn't have to call a timeout to swell momentum. That was huge."

Pomorski's nine kills led Brother Rice (6-6, 1-0), which also had Dan Weishar's seven kills and 12 assists each from Dan Dwyer and Mike Noyes.

Finding out before the game his position was changing, Pomorski hit the ground running.

"I've started hitting this year, but outside hitter is a completely different position (than right side)," Pomorski said. "It felt a little weird at the beginning, but I got used to it."

Trailing 18-12, the Crusaders charged back into the game, tying the score at 23 and then surviving five St. Rita game points to pull out a 30-28 thriller.

Coming off a quick two-game loss at Lincoln-Way East Monday, that first win meant everything.

"We got destroyed yesterday so today we focused on our defense, and it made a lot of pickups on our back row," Pomorski said.

Rice again fell behind in the second game but had another charge left in them. With Weishar serving, the Crusaders turned an 11-6 deficit into an 18-11 lead courtesy of a 12-0 run.

Weishar had three kills and an ace as part of the run with Pomorski adding three kills.

Bobby Gallagher (9 kills), Tommy Stark (8 kills, 4 blocks), Joe Biros (7 kills, 13 digs) and Joe Fashingbauer (25 assists) all contributed for St. Rita (7-7, 1-1).

"We're fighting to establish a program right now," St. Rita coach Kathleen Mixan said. "We get into our own heads sometimes. We can beat teams that are higher-ranked than us, but we have to learn to close."

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