With the sweet memory of last year’s Division I state volleyball championship in their rear view mirror, the St. Ursula Arrows recently began this season’s quest to duplicate their achievement.

And, with nine players returning, including seven who saw action at the state tournament in Dayton, a chance at repeating might boil down to being satisfied versus being hungry.

If these Arrows can produce the same hunger that enabled them to rout Brecksville-Broadview Heights in the state semifinals and then topple Dublin Coffman in the final, 16th-year coach John Buck’s team certainly has the ingredients to capture another crown.

“This year, we haven’t even talked about 2010, because that’s in the past, Buck said. “They’re not going to rest on last year. They’re taking this is a new season and a new challenge. That’s the right mind-set, and that’s want I want to see.

“They’re still hungry and they’re still working hard in the gym. We know other teams are going to give us their best shot because of what we did last year, but we recognize that last year was last year.

“We’re in a good position [personnel-wise] to defend, but we’re still a long ways away. If the team is playing well together in the middle of October, that’s when I’ll know if we’re really ready for return trip down to state. There’s a lot of volleyball between then and now. We have 22 mini-quizzes [regular-season matches] to take to get ready for that final exam. We have a lot of homework to do.”

At the core of the 11-player roster, is a group of five seniors who are in their fourth year together in the starting rotation — middle hitter Cassidy

Croci, outside hitter Erin Williams, setter/rightside hitter Madison Strall, and defensive specialists Madison
Haupricht and Emma Romstadt.

These seniors are actually in their fifth year with Buck, who coached them as members of a Toledo Volleyball Club team to a 14-and-under national runner-up finish in Dallas in the summer of 2008, before their freshmen year.

“We’re all really good friends and we have good chemistry since we’ve been playing together for so long,” Williams said. “We know each other and we get along great.

“When we went to Dallas on that TVC team, we were runner-up to a team from Hawaii. That showed us that we could play well together and work together and push each other in our high school events. It made us better as a team.”

Strall values the bonds of her volleyball experience.

“These have been the best five years of my life,” Strall said. “We are like a family, all of us. It’s fun. We hang out on Fridays, and in spare time.

“It’s a great accomplishment [winning state], but each year’s a new year and you’ve got to focus on the now. It’s not about the past.

“You’ve got to focus on winning and keep trying to set your goals higher. It’s nice to have one [state championship] under your belt, but you always want to go for it again. Now, we’re going to have a target on our back. So, we’ve got to keep working hard and keep pushing. We’re not taking anyone lightly.”

“Having those [winning] experiences together are worth a lot, because you’ve been there before and you know what it takes, from a young age all the way to seniors,” Croci said. “I feel like there’s always pressure to do well. You want to go out there and play your best every single time.”

St. Ursula’s Cassidy Croci, left, Katie McKernan and Madison Strall, celebrate scoring a point. The Arrows finished with a 28-1 record last year. THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Croci, who received All-Ohio honorable mention last season, believes the Arrows appreciated their achievement more because of the difficult journey.

“It was almost surreal,” she said. “You always imagine you want to win state. But, if you think about it, only one school gets to do it from each division each year.

“Everyone’s going to try to play their best when they play us. We just have to bring what we have. That’s all we can ask. I don’t think any of us are going to take it easy. We all still have that hunger and, as seniors, we want to end on the greatest note of all.”

Also highlighting the list of returnees is 6-foot-1 junior outside/rightside hitter Maddie Burnham, who excelled down the stretch last year.

“This is the most experienced senior group that I’ve had,” Buck said. “There’s five kids who have been starting for four years. I’ve never had that before.

“Erin Williams is a really steady player. A primary passer who controls the ball so well for us. Cassidy Croci doesn’t take a second off. She competes every day, every second. She doesn’t want to lose a point. Maddie Strall is an all-around player who plays every position well — hitting, setting, passing. She’s solid.

“Madison Haupricht is nicknamed ‘Diggy,’ because she’ll dig anything she can get her hands on. Emma Romstadt is a quiet and very steady back-row player. She’s was our libero last year, and she just has a calming effect back there, but she’s a fierce competitor as well. Maddie Burnham is our big hammer. She can just go over the top of blocks. She elevates and she has a fast, hard swing. It’s fun watching her hit the ball.”

Returning senior setter Katie Felix saw limited action in the 2010 tournament, and juniors Katie McKernan and Abbey Russell were also on the state roster.

Those nine players, plus freshmen Maurissa Leonard and Lauran Graves, will all be in Buck’s regular rotation.

A big void was created by the graduation of two four-year starters who graduated and have moved on to Division I college programs.

Gone are setter supreme Veronica Zimmerman (Memphis), who was a first team All-Ohio selection both in 2009 and 2010 after receiving honorable mention in 2008, and powerful 6-3 hitter Maggie Burnham (Northwestern), who was named All-Ohio second team last year and third team in 2009.

Last year’s state title was the second for St. Ursula and Buck, who guided the Arrows to a 29-0 season in 2004. That came during a run when St. Ursula made six straight state semifinal appearances.

“Every year is unique,” said Buck, who has a 339-61 career record. “That was a special run we had [state appearances 2000-05], and we never took it for granted, or expected it.

“We always worked towards it. But, you’ve got to get a few breaks, and everything kind of has to fall into place.”

Buck knows where the Arrows biggest challenges may come from.

“Down in the Columbus area it’ll be Dublin Coffman again,” he said. “In the Northeast, Rocky River Magnificat has got a really nice, solid team. In the
Cincinnati area it’s Mount Notre Dame and Lakota East, but I wouldn’t count out Ursuline. They’ve only lost two matches in two years, so those kids know how to win.

“In our district, Notre Dame is going to be tough. They’ve got a lot of kids who have been around for a few years, and they’ve got good setting and some good hitters. And, Central Catholic’s always in there.”

St. Ursula’s first big tests will come Saturday at home at the Best Of Ohio Volleyball tournament.

The Arrows open with a 9 a.m. match against 2008 D-I state champion Olmsted Falls. If they win, they would meet the winner of a match between Strongsville and Columbus Watterson.

Also in the eight-team field are Central Catholic, which will open at 9 a.m. against Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit, plus Cincinnati St. Ursula and Elyria.

The Arrows are now part of the new Three Rivers Athletic Conference after closing their time in the City League last year by winning their ninth CL title in 11 years (2000-06 and 2009-10). St. Ursula has collected 10 of the last 11 district championships, reaching the regional every season since 2000 except 2007.

Contact Steve Junga at:
sjunga@theblade.com
or 419-724-6461.