Timothy Christian settles down, settles in

As Timothy Christian coach Scott Piersma held a post-match meeting with his team after the Trojans' sectional semifinal victory Tuesday, he stressed one big point.

He told his team to remember what the 25-14 victory in Game 3 felt like that gave Timothy Christian a 26-24, 22-25, 25-14 win over Payton College Prep of Chicago in the Class 3A Nazareth sectional.

"That was the kind of team we are. I think we came out too emotional and a little frantic on the court in the first two sets," Piersma said.

Next up for the top-seeded Trojans (36-2) is a 7 p.m. Thursday sectional final showdown against fifth-seeded Montini, a 25-21, 25-18 winner over the second-seeded hosts. The teams have not faced each other this season.

"It's a great opportunity for the girls. We could win only our second sectional title in school history and the first one in Class 3A," Piersma said.

The fourth-seeded Grizzlies (23-14) controlled most of the first half of Game 3. Junior Olivia Rozmus, who led Payton with 12 kills, slammed home one of them to put her team ahead 10-9. It was the last time that Payton led.

Two double hits called on the Grizzlies and a kill by the Trojans' Kacie Stoll, who led her team with 16, put Timothy Christian up 13-10, and the Trojans never gave the advantage back. The team kept the lead in the 2- to 5-point range until two kills and a block by Dani VanLaten and kills by Stoll and Juliana Stremler grew the lead to double digits and put the Trojans on the path for Thursday.

"We calmed down. In that first and second sets, we were overexcited. We slowed down and starting playing our game," Stoll said. "Payton was a very good team. They had very good hitters and very good defenders."

Neither team could build up much of a lead in the first two games. Piersma said the Grizzlies' defense needed as much attention as their offense by Timothy Christian.

"They dug just tons of stuff out and that helped them stay long with the plays," he said.

The game was tied at 22 when Payton served the ball out of bounds to give the Trojans a 23-22 lead. With Abby Groters serving, a kill by Stremler and a block by Kaitlyn Gehrke wrapped up the Game 2 win.

In the opening battle an ace by Stoll tied the game at 24 before two consecutive kills by Payton's Alina Rosales gave the Grizzlies the win.