Crusaders still finding way in Superconference play

BURLINGTON — The SEI Superconference South Division is providing plenty of difficult lessons for Holy Trinity in the first couple of weeks of the season.
The 25-23, 25-11, 18-25, 25-16 loss to No. 7 (Class 1A) Notre Dame on Tuesday night was another one.
The No. 8 Crusaders (6-6) were two points away from winning the opening game, but couldn’t get them.
A win, and there’s momentum. A loss, and the Crusaders (6-6) were chasing the Nikes (14-3) the rest of the night.
“We’re up, and we had the opportunity to close it, and we didn’t do that tonight,” Holy Trinity coach Melissa Freesmeier said. “We can’t do that. Our conference is brutal. You’re going to get eaten if you do that.”
That first-game loss proved crucial when the Nikes rolled through the second game. Notre Dame scored eight consecutive points for a 9-2 lead and kept up the pressure. The Crusaders had just five kills in the game, never able to get any sort of offensive rhythm.
“They served the ball well and we just couldn’t get anything going,” Freesmeier said.
But Holy Trinity’s win in the third game gave the Crusaders some life. They had a 7-1 run in which Mary Kate Bendlage, who had been held in check in the second game, had three kills.
Holy Trinity had a 23-15 lead before the Nikes scored three consecutive points. A kill by Presley Myers ended the run, and the Crusaders figured out a way to finish.
“We could have laid down and died, but we didn’t,” Freesmeier said. “Instead, they came out ready to go. They supported each other and got the job done.”
Notre Dame built a 16-12 lead, then took control with a 6-0 run that included three kills from Abby Korschgen.
Bendlage and Myers each had nine kills for the Crusaders. Kayla Box had seven kills. Brooke Mueller had five and Taegan Denning had four.
Myers had seven blocks, while Box had three. Bendlage had 14 digs. Denning had 12. Mueller had 11. Anna Bendlage had six.
Denning was 17-of-17 serving with an ace. Mary Kate Bendlage was 14-of-14 with an ace. Mueller had two aces.
Holy Trinity is off until next Tuesday’s match at Mediapolis.
“We’re still working through some stuff,” Freesmeier said. “But they’re tough kids. They can get it done. I still think we can do great things this year. But we have to figure it out.
“I saw some great things. And I saw some stuff we have to get rid of. We’re going to work on it and come back.”