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Munster sweeps for 4th straight
Updated: October 22, 2011 10:54PM
LOWELL — Shannon Farrell was more than a little hyped up.
Maybe it was all the Gatorade Munster coach Tracy Afman encouraged Farrell and her teammates to drink.
Maybe it was the fact Munster’s outside hitter wanted to make sure she played above and beyond her abilities so the team’s six seniors could extend their careers and play in Tuesday night’s Munster Regional.
Undoubtedly, all of those factors played a role in the sophomore’s big-time performance in the championship match of the Class 4A Lowell Sectional Saturday.
Farrell, who played on the junior varsity team last year, finished 23 of 27 hitting (nine kills) and added a team-high 11 digs to help the Mustangs (30-7) win their fourth straight sectional title with a 25-22, 26-24, 25-14 sweep of Lake Central.
“I really, really wanted to win today,” said Farrell, who had the final three kills of the match.
“I really had a lot of energy today. I felt like I jumped even higher than I usually do. It was more intense. I just tried to get every ball that came over. That’s the best blocking I’ve done all year.”
Lauren Macadlo, a senior outside hitter, also played a key role in the Mustangs’ second sweep of the Indians (21-14) this season.
Macadlo was 15-of-15 hitting (seven kills) and ignited a Munster rally in the second game that spelled doom for LC.
Macadlo served six straight points to rally Munster from a 23-17 deficit.
Munster’s aggressiveness helped it steal the game and deflated the Indians, who appeared poised to tie the match at a set each.
“It’s been really exciting for us to win, because nobody really expected us to be that good this year — I don’t even think we did at the beginning of the season,” Macadlo said. “It was exciting to be able to win in three games.”
Afman loved her team’s aggressive style.
“I’m just so proud of the girls,” she said. “I’m overcome with joy the way they played and adjusted throughout the match. I was especially proud of the way we didn’t let up and took it right at them the last game.”
Lake Central coach Tina Tinberg was disappointed the Indians couldn’t secure game two.
“We didn’t execute on offense in the second set,” she said. “My team didn’t want the ball enough to terminate the ball for two more points. I think that deflated us.”
Lake Central advanced to the title match by outlasting Lowell, 17-25, 25-22, 25-20, 11-25, 15-12, in Saturday’s first semifinal.
The Mustangs swept Morton, 25-5, 25-12, 25-7, in the other semifinal.
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