Traverse City Record-Eagle

Prep Sports

November 9, 2012

Leland wins Class D regional championship

Comets beat Brethren to win the school's second straight title

From staff reports ----

BEAR LAKE — Sammie Sterkenburg and Brooke Olesnavage starred as Leland took a five-game match from Brethren to win its second straight Class D volleyball regional championship on Thursday.

Leland jumped out to take the first two games 25-15 and 25-21 before Brethren rebounded to win games 3 and 4 by identical scores of 25-19.

Leland wrapped up the regional crown with a 15-4 fifth-game win on the strength of Sterkenburg's serving and Olesnavage's hitting.

"Sammie served very well and made them pass a lot so we got some free points," Leland coach Laurie Glass said. "Brooke had about eight kills in the game."

Sterkenburg served up four of her five aces on the night in the deciding game.

The win puts the Comets (44-10-4) in Tuesday's quarterfinal at Big Rapids against top-ranked Battle Creek St. Philip.

"They'd be No. 1 in a lot of classes," Glass said.

For the night, Leland was led by Olesnavage (24 kills, 13 digs, six aces), Andrea Hunt (eight kills, 17 digs), Maggie Osorio (14 digs), Noa Yaakoby (nine kills, four aces, two blocks), Sterkenburg (five aces, 19 assists, three kills) and Caitlin McKee (28 assists, five digs).

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