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Mustangs run on all cylinders
Updated: October 25, 2011 11:05PM
MUNSTER — Most coaches shorten their bench come playoff time. But not Munster coach Tracy Afman. Every Munster player got into the act in the Mustangs’ 3-2 regional title victory over Valparaiso.
“I know Valpo has some really good players, but we’re so deep that I was able to play everyone on my roster tonight,” said Munster coach Tracy Afman. “We always have six good players on the court and teams never know who we’re going to set.”
There were some notable individual performances, however. Start with Munster’s Jamie Rogalski. The program lists Rogalski at 5-5 and that might be generous. But after Munster dropped the first set, Rogalski kicked off the second set with a 5-0 service run to get the Mustangs back to even in the match. Rogalski also had seven assist in the set as Munster evened the match with a 25-19 win.
“A lot of people notice the big hitters, but Jamie is so key to what we do,” said Afman. “She does a lot of higher-level setting and if you noticed her serve, it takes the other team right out of their rhythm.”
Rogalski took a breather in the third set, but the Mustangs managed to get a boost from her replacement Maddy Moyer. Moyer’s playmaking from her setter spot sparked a mini-rally that saw the Mustangs move from down 7-4 to ahead 14-11 in a crucial spot in the match. The junior teamed up with sophomore outside hitter Shannon Farrell for a 10-2 run to close out the set.
Valparaiso (33-5) not only lost that third set, but the Vikings’ floor leader, Tarrah Lasky, went down holding her knee after buckling it late in the set. With a bit of a limp, Lasky returned for the fourth set, helping the Vikings to stay alive with a 25-20 win. She delivered nine assists in the set, including five on the Vikings’ last six points to four different hitters. Lasky led the state this season with 1185 assists, according to the IHSAA’s statistics.
Munster (31-7) closed out the match on the strength of three consecutive service aces from sophomore Elizabeth Kloos late in the set. Rogalski’s service ace scored the winning point for the Mustangs.
“We weren’t able to keep it together for longer enough spurts,” said Valparaiso coach Katie Lenard. “We’d make a few good plays, then give up a run, then make a few more good plays and give up another run. (Munster’s) spurts were longer than our spurts.”
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