toledoblade.com --

Midway through Game 4 of yesterday's Division I district volleyball championship at Perrysburg, City League champion St. Ursula was struggling against league rival Notre Dame

It concerned Arrows coach John Buck enough that he shifted to a proactive mode.

He focused on a potential deciding game while his team was still up 2-1 in games but looking out of sync while trailing 13-6 in this one.

St. Ursula regained the momentum with a 10-3 surge to gain a tie, then stayed in control down the stretch in taking a 25-22, 25-8, 22-25, 25-23 victory.

"Honestly, they had us down so early and in a deep hole, I was starting to think of a strategy for Game 5," Buck said. "I was thinking about taking some girls out and giving them a breather.

"But, as we started inching back into the game, I could see the momentum switching and I let it go the way it was."

The third-ranked Arrows (23-2), who won their ninth district title in 10 years, advance to the regional semifinals on Wednesday at Norwalk High School. They will meet seventh-ranked Amherst Steele after the end of the 6 p.m. semifinal between 10th-ranked Findlay and fourth-ranked Rocky River Magnificat.

Notre Dame (16-9) had its own big turnaround after a forgettable Game 2. The Eagles trailed just 6-5 before St. Ursula launched a game-closing 19-3 blitz, which was sparked during the eight-point service of sophomore Madison Strall.

Notre Dame stayed with St. Ursula throughout a back-and-forth Game 3, and never trailed after taking an 18-17 lead on an ace from senior standout Paige Roback (18 kills). That gave ND an edge entering Game 4, as the Eagles shored up their defense and opened a 13-6 lead.

But, starting with back-to-back kills from Kelsey Reiner (8 kills) and Maggie Burnham (18 kills), St. Ursula started its match-clinching rally.

An ace from Madison Haupricht, was followed by a kill from Erin Williams plus two more from senior Marissa Tashenberg, and St. Ursula tied it at 16.

Notre Dame's last lead came at 19-18, but the Eagles were outscored 7-4 from there, with Arrow junior Veronica Zimmerman's well-placed dink ending the match.

"It's all serve and serve-receive," Notre Dame coach Scott Mattera said. "In Game 1, we were fine. In Game 2 it went down and the score got ugly. In Game 3 we passed great and we won it. In Game 4 we were passing well and hit a lull.

In a Division III district final at Perrysburg last night, Suburban Lakes League co-champion Otsego (22-3) advanced to its first regional since coach Cheryl Jones' Knights won a D-III state title in 1992.

The Knights fell behind early at 6-3 in Game 1 against former longtime SLL foe Lakota, but rallied from behind and would trail only once more the rest of the match in taking a 25-16, 25-21, 25-22 victory over the Raiders (20-5).

Otsego will face second-ranked Archbold (26-0) in a D-III regional semifinal Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Liberty-Benton High School.

Chelsea Bollenbacher, a 6-1 senior, paced the Knights with 13 kills. Bollenbacher seemed to deliver a crucial attack every time the Raiders threatened.

Lakota pulled even at 15 in Game 1 before the Knights caught fire on senior Baley Bernthisel's serve and for the final eight points of a 10-1 run.

In Game 2 Otsego bolted to a 13-3 lead, and saw Lakota pull within 21-19 and 22-20 before finishing things on a Bollenbacher kill.

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