Bedford advances to title match

3/17/2001

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Bedford moved a step beyond last year by defeating Fraser 16-14, 15-11 yesterday in a Michigan Class A volleyball semifinal.

The Mules won the 1998 state crown, while the Huskies have won 10 since 1982.

In the first game yesterday, Bedford pulled away to an 11-5 lead before Fraser came back to tie things at 13, and again at 14. The score was stalled through eight sideouts before Bedford ended it with two dramatic points: a kill and an ace by senior Melissa Meinhart, who amassed seven kills on the day.

In the second game, Fraser held a brief two-point lead, 11-9, before a double block by Bedford's Julia Kirkwood and Missy Mohrbach knotted the score.

Coach Jodi Manore praised the efforts of Mohrbach (10 kills) and Katie Jefferson (14 kills, 10 digs). Lindi Bankowski added 32 assists.

But, she said, “We had too many hitting errors. We were just hitting balls out.”