FAIRBORN — The celebration by the St. Ursula volleyball team went on, and on. An hour after the Bulldogs defeated Ursuline 15-12, 10-15, 15-11 to claim the Division I state championship, players, coaches and supporters remained at Wright State University to savor the accomplishment.

Emily Verkamp hits past the block of Ursuline's Kelly Byrnes. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        “This is the best of them all and what a coach dreams about,” St. Ursula coach Julie Perry said. “Although we won six previous state championships, there was always the shadow that they were in Division II.”

        Beginning in the 1992-93 season and continuing through the 1997-98 season, St. Ursula dominated in Division II, winning a state record six consecutive state championships.

        In one of the most dramatic state championship finals in the 27-year history of the tournament, Ursuline and St. Ursula battled an hour and 37 minutes before the Bulldogs emerged.

        Throughout the three games, neither team held more than a three-point advantage until reaching 10 points. The most successive points off a serve were three, twice by Ursuline.

        “They beat us at our own game,” said a dejected Ursuline coach Amie Meyer, whose Lions defeated St. Ursula twice during the regular season. “They set the middle very well and had quick transition.”

        Sophomore hitters Beth Gillming and Beth Shelton were outstanding. Gillming had a game-high 25 kills, eight digs and two serving aces with Shelton coming up with 17 kills, 18 digs and two serving aces.

        “I have to give credit to Bryn (Kehoe) who set great today,” said Gillming. “We knew if we played with heart, we could beat them,”

        Kehoe, an outside hitter last year as a freshman, took over the setting position this season. She worked hard during the offseason, setting for the Cincinnati Classic, an AAU team that finished third in the country.

        “I've been setting since the fourth grade,” Kehoe said. “I got chills five-or-six times during the match because I knew we were going to win. This is crazy and a great feeling.”

        Outside hitter Torey Neyer, the only senior and last year's setter, may have been the happiest, clutching the gold medal close while showing it off.

        “I wasn't on the varsity when we won the last state championship,” said Neyer, who had 14 digs and five kills. “There was too much pressure as the setter and I told coach before the season I didn't want to set.”

        The unsung hero was Laura Cassinelli, a junior defensive specialist who sat out last season after undergoing knee surgery. She had 14 digs, five that bordered on spectacular.

        “It took hours of rehabilitation which was tough but I wanted to play for St. Ursula,” Cassinelli said. “My sister, Liz (assistant coach), was on three state championship teams and now I've done it.”

        There was another statistic that Perry shared with the players before the game.

        “In 21 years at St. Ursula, no team has beaten us three times in the same season,” Perry said.

        Ursuline won 15-13, 15-8 and 15-13, 15-11 in the regular season.

        St. Ursula is now tied with Newark Catholic for the most state volleyball championships at seven. Ursuline was making a sixth appearance in the final four, winning in 1975 and 1993.

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