Fourth place a first for Montini

NORMAL - It wasn't the result Montini's girls volleyball team wanted, but for a school known for state tournament success in just about everything except volleyball, it's a start.

The Broncos fell to Breese Mater Dei Saturday 15-25, 25-19, 25-22 in the Class 3A third-place match at Redbird Arena.

"To be in the top four out of 96 schools in Class 3A and to be here in general is an honor," said Montini coach Steve Dowjotas, whose team finished the season 23-13 and brings home the program's first state trophy. "We have 12 seniors, and when I got here four years ago we were basically a program of freshmen and sophomores. The leadership and experience these seniors have shown has been awesome. Losing so many kids I've spent four years with is going to be tough.

"We're known as a football, girls basketball and wrestling school and to be able to come here and represent our program and what we do has been an honor."

Mater Dei (38-4) dominated the first game, turning a 14-13 lead into a 24-13 advantage and cruising to the easy win. But the Broncos came back behind the powerful hitting of senior Monica Loftus and won Game 2 on a service ace from junior Gina Cappetta. The Knights won the match when they used a Montini error to take a 23-20 lead and never let the Broncos get closer. Kelly Voss' kill secured Mater Dei, a seven-time state champion, its 16th state trophy since 1978.

Monica Loftus led the Broncos with a match-high 16 kills. Senior Mary Bowe had 16 digs, senior Jennifer Marten 10 digs and Cappetta 28 assists. Madi Haake led Mater Dei with 10 kills.

"Just being here for the first time in Montini history was amazing," Loftus said. "The whole experience has been awesome. We became a family this whole weekend, and even though we lost it's been amazing."