No. 7 Mercy gets marquee road win at No. 10 Marian, creates tie atop CHSL
By Drew Ellis of PlayMichigan.com
Published October 4, 2023 Oakland Press
BIRMINGHAM — The CHSL, and the state for that matter, has belonged to the Birmingham Marian volleyball program the last three seasons. Heading into the 2023 season, Farmington Hills Mercy felt like it might be able to change the narrative against a young Mustang squad.
On Wednesday, the seventh-ranked Marlins got their chance to prove it and prove it on the 10th-ranked Mustangs’ home floor.
Mercy did just that, earning a 25-21, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21 victory to create a three-way tie atop the CHSL standings.
“In big matches like this where every point means so much, you have to be conditioned for a long match,” Mercy coach Loretta Vogel said. “This was a real endurance test for our girls and will mean a lot going forward.”
Wednesday’s rivalry match was played in front of a raucous crowd of both student sections. It was one of the loudest and most energetic high school volleyball crowds in the state.
“Every time we face each other, it is this (the raucous environment). It’s just special. Who else can say they have this kind of environment every time they play?” Vogel said. “Every year it’s a great match of two great teams and it’s a compliment to both programs that we can create something this special.”
Mercy (20-7-3, 5-1 CHSL) was able to set the tone of the match early on, taking a quick lead on Marian (20-5, 5-1) in each of the first two sets.
In the first, the Marlins scored six straight to establish an 18-11 lead that the Mustangs couldn’t overcome. It was senior setter Campbell Flynn that sparked the run with a pair of kills and a block.
Flynn missed the beginning of the season while playing for Team USA’s Girls U19 National Team. With Flynn back in the fold, she’s bringing an added dimension to the squad.
“It’s really 360,” Vogel said of how the team performs with Flynn back. “She’s just a difference-maker and such a smart kid. She gets everyone on the same page and knows where the ball needs to go.”
In the second set, it would be freshman Kate Kaclyznski that would get the Marlins out ahead. She had six kills and a block in the set to lead the way and allow Mercy to get a two-set advantage.
“It’s huge to get that kind of performance out of a freshman,” Vogel said of Kalczynski. “We have a lot of young players taking on big roles and they really rose to the occasion in this match.”
Marian wasn’t able to establish enough consistent offense in the opening sets as the Mustangs struggled with ball placement. They made 28 hitting errors in the loss.
“This whole match was about our hitting errors,” Marian coach Mayssa Cook said. “We hit too many balls out of bounds and too many balls into the tape. It came down to (Mercy) being more consistent offensively and playing tougher defense.”
Marian did find some offensive balance in the third set despite falling behind 7-4 to start. Junior Isabelle Busignani was the offensive leader throughout the night, but she got big contributions from senior Danielle Mertz and freshman Callie LeFevre in the third. The three combined for 16 kills in the set to push the match to a fourth.
Marian started hot in the fourth set as well, getting out to an 8-5 advantage thanks to a 7-0 run off the serving of setter Allie Davison. Davison had five aces in the rally.
Mercy was able to respond with the balanced offensive attack of Kalczynski, Maya Zarrow, Angie Butler and Cree Hollier. They sparked a 6-0 rally that gave Mercy the lead for good in the match.
“There were a lot of long rallies and you have to stay into each point and each set for a long time. That’s an endurance test and a mental challenge at the same time,” Vogel said. “I am really proud of my girls for how they stayed focused and battled and fought through some adversity to come out on top.”
Mercy was led by Kalczynski, who tallied 20 kills and three blocks. Butler added 12 kills while Flynn had six kills with three blocks and two aces.
Marian was led by Busignani, who had 21 kills, while LeFevre had 13 kills. Davison finished with seven aces, while Sophia Smith had five kills and three aces.
Cook is hoping that Wednesday’s loss will be a wake-up call for her young team heading into next week’s CHSL Tournament.
“With it being a rivalry, I think we came out a little timid and that’s where our inexperience plays in,” Cook said. “But, that can’t be an excuse for us anymore. We have to step up. It’s time to toughen up. We have most of the season under our belt now, that inexperience can’t be an excuse.”
Marian, Mercy and Toledo St. Ursula Academy each finished 5-1 during the CHSL regular season. The three will be settling their regular season draw during the conference tournament next week. The semifinals of the Bishop Tournament will be held next Tuesday, while the championship will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12.