Hubbard falls in regional

The Eagles beat Walsh Jesuit in the first game, then lost the next three.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STOW -- Hubbard High's volleyball team gave a good account of itself here Thursday in the Division II regional tournament, but in the end it was just too much of Walsh Jesuit's Katie Dull.
The Eagles bowed out of the regional tournament, losing 3-1 to the Warriors, who came into the match ranked No. 2 in the state coaches poll.
Hubbard shocked the Warriors in the first game with a 25-20 victory, but dropped the next three games, 25-21, 25-18, 25-19.
Dull, who is just a junior, already has committed verbally to play at Ohio State and she showed the Eagles why Thursday.
The 6-foot-2 standout led the Warriors with 23 points and 16 kills and she also came through with eight service points and had six aces.
Lived up to ranking
"I guess they showed why they are the No. 2-ranked team in the state," said Hubbard High coach Chuck Montgomery. "When you have a star player like [Dull], it's tough to get any sort of rally going.
"We didn't pass the ball as well tonight as we have most of the season, but when we did, like in the first game, we scored a lot of points," he added.
"We gave them some easy points and you can't do that against a team of that caliber.
"I think we gave them a little eye opener in the first game, they didn't expect that from us," Montgomery said. "Our defense has been good all season long, but our passing let us down tonight.
"We made a couple of key errors in the second game, but it's tough to make a run against Walsh. She's [Dull] such a dominate player."
Hubbard's leaders
The Eagles (24-3) were led by Maggie Bogdon, who had six kills and six blocks, while Kim Budd scored eight points and had eight digs, and Lauren Ferguson added nine points.
Corrie Gasser finished with 25 assists and seven digs, while Callie Oyler chipped in with 12 kills. Brittany Lange added seven kills while Gabby Flynn had eight digs.
Dull wasn't the only thorn in the Eagles' side as 6-3 senior Mandi Rowell added 14 points along with six blocks and eight kills to aid the Warriors.
The Eagles kept the game close in the opening session and last trailed, 17-16, before going on a four-point run to pull ahead, 20-17.
Walsh came back to narrow the lead to 20-19, but Hubbard scored five of the next six points to wrap up the win.
Eagles fall behind
The Eagles pulled to an 8-8 deadlock in the second game, but then Dull and Rowell took over and the Warriors jumped out to a 15-10 lead.
The Eagles came back to 24-21 before Megan Rodriguez scored the final point for Walsh.
Again in Game 3, Hubbard was deadlocked 11-11 with the Warriors, who then pulled away to win 25-18.
Hubbard led throughout the early part of Game 4, before Walsh tied it at 10-10, but the Eagles came back with three key points and took a 16-14 lead.
However, Dull scored four straight points, one on a back-row kill to put the Warriors into a comfortable lead, 21-17.
Dull and Rowell then scored the final four points to wrap up the win.
Walsh (23-2) will play in the regional final against Jefferson Saturday at 6 p.m.
Jefferson defeated Olmsted Falls, 20-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-21.
mollica@vindy.com