MND players celebrate. (Mike Simons photo) | ZOOM |

        FAIRBORN — Mount Notre Dame is one match from a third consecutive Division I state volleyball title.

        Rallying behind setter Kelly Morgan and strong play at the net by Liz Engel, Jennifer Burke and Krista Mestancik, MND defeated McAuley 15-11, 15-10 Friday in the Division I state semifinals.

        The Cougars, winners of 19 straight, play Toledo St.Ursula at 1:30 p.m. today for the state championship at Wright State University's Nutter Center.

        Roger Bacon will attempt to bring home the Division II state championship today. The Spartans play defending champion Galion in an 11a.m. match.

        Seton is the only school to win three straight big-school (Class AAA or Division I) state titles. The Saints won in 1984, '85 and '86.

        During the regular season, McAuley and Mount Notre Dame split two matches.

        “We knew it would be a battle, because McAuley was No.1 in Cincinnati and we were No.2,” Engel said. “We never thought about losing. Everyone kept their composure and played great today.”

        Engel was a member of the 1997 team that went 4-20 before coming back the next season to win the state title.

        “We were awful my freshman year,” Engel said. “No one thought we could win it the next year, but we did. We graduated a lot from last year's team, and nobody thought we would be here this year.”

        The first game, which took 34 minutes to complete, was fiercely contested. McAuley led only once, at 7-6, before Engel took control, coming through with three kills and one block for points.

        That enabled the Cougars to take a 10-7 lead, but McAuley tied it 10-10. MND scored the next four points and closed it out on Engel's kill.

        “We talked to the girls between games about keeping their composure, staying relaxed and being patient,” Cougars coach Donna Mechley said. “As far as momentum, there were small spurts. There weren't many times when a team scored four or five consecutive points throughout the match.”

        Mount Notre Dame never trailed in the second game.

        Senior Kelly Morgan said a team meeting after three consecutive losses was the turning point in the season for the Cougars.

        “We weren't aggressive and were playing not to lose,” Morgan said. “The coaches let the players do the talking to determine what we wanted to make out of the season.”

        Since that meeting, MND has an unblemished record and has been taken to three games by only McNicholas and Seton.

        “We made too many errors at critical times,” McAuley coach Lynne Morris said. “But give Mount Notre Dame credit. They picked up a lot of balls and played good defense.”

        Toledo St. Ursula (28-1), making its first appearance in the state tournament, was impressive in downing Galion 15-5, 5-15, 15-10 in the semifinals.

        “We've been here before and they haven't,” a confident Engel said. “We also play better defense.”

        The Arrows have four players 5-foot-10 taller. or better and play outstanding defense while relying on junior setter Kaycie Carr, along with hitters Elizabeth Cron (11 kills), Sarah Florian (10 kills) and Ashlei Nofzinger (8 kills).

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Complete prep football coverage Enquirer.com/prepfootball SULLIVAN: Tour better keep Tiger happy UCLA drops Kentucky to 0-2 Coles: Miami can learn more from scrimmage NKU opens with victory Miami catches Marshall at good time Ohio St. hopes to run to win Turpin boys win state soccer title MND goes for state volleyball three-peat Colerain 35, St. Xavier 30 Piqua 28, Loveland 17 Vandalia Butler 31, Edgewood 14 Wyoming 20, Blanchester 12 Elder, Fairfield expect tight game Bellevue 36, Nicholas Co. 9 Delta 28, East Central 14 Harrison Co. 42, Holmes 28 Highlands 49, Covington Catholic 27 Louisville Trinity 35, Ryle 3 Newport Central Catholic 17, Beechwood 14 Cyclones 4, Chicago 2 Lowell 5, Mighty Ducks 4

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