The Beechwood Tigers successfully defended their All "A" volleyball state title on Saturday, Sept. 19, defeating Louisville Holy Cross 25-12, 23-25, 25-10 in the championship match to lift the second small-school championship trophy in school history.
"It was more about, 'How do we increase our playing ability as the weekend goes on?' Playing six matches, and we end up with four in one day, it's a lot of matches, but it's about keeping that pressure on other teams when you're getting tired. It was a team effort. Our bench was able to play, too, and they won some matches for us," Beechwood head coach Matt Long said.
The Tigers looked the part of the No. 8 team in the state as they dropped just one set during pool and bracket play, and allowed just 12.6
points per set. Outside of the one set they lost, the most a team scored against them in a single set was 17 points.
Long credited the Tigers' service pressure and superior athleticism at the net for delivering them out of tough spots.
Senior Isabel O'Brien was named the tournament MVP while Macy Armstrong, Skylr Estep, Rachel Lewandowski and Kennedy Sturgeon were also named to the all-tournament team.
"(Isabel) played really lights out the whole tournament. She was pretty unstoppable. They all were," Long said.
While Bishop Brossart suffered its first loss of the season, falling to Beechwood in the semifinals, seniors Aubrey Rebholz and Josie Reckner were named to the all-tournament team.
Now 18-1, Beechwood will travel to Conner on Sept. 23 and Cooper on Sept. 24 before hosting Brossart on Sept. 29 in a rematch 10 days after their All "A" semifinal meeting.
"Our next goals are: who's next on the list in Northern Kentucky that we need to check off? We want to get to regionals and win two rounds versus one. And if we get through regionals, we look at the downstate teams in Assumption and Mercy and Sacred Heart. We're on our way. We've got a lot of work to do because it's not a cakewalk, either," Long said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Beechwood volleyball claims back-to-back All 'A' state championships
