“We had a chance to watch them last night and they are a very strong, very dynamic team,” Centerville coach Matt Onweller said. “But if you want to make it to state, you’ve got to beat the best teams.”
The district tournament has been the stopping point for local D-I teams for years. To say that the Cincinnati Girls Greater Catholic League schools have dominated the division would be an understatement. Mount Notre Dame has made 16 state appearances, Ursuline and Seton 14 apiece and St. Ursula has made the trip 11 times. Mount Notre Dame won the state title last year and Ursuline won in 2018.
“It’s definitely tough to come out of this district,” Onweller said. “We’re hoping, this year, it’s us or Springboro.”
Springboro faces eighth-ranked Seton in the 5 p.m. game at Butler.
The Elks – who recently captured a sixth straight GWOC championship – have a junior-laden team with Nicole Sargent sparking the offense with 284 kills on the season and Amelia Nott leading the team with 67 blocks. But senior setter Hannah Golden and senior libero Audrey Brothers provide leadership and lead the team statistically in assists (757) and digs (330) respectively.
“They are the glue that keeps us together,” Onweller said.
But everyone will need to be on their game against St. Ursula.
“Last year, we were beat before we showed up,” Onweller said. “We need to go in confident, but not cocky, and definitely not feeling defeated.
“Because, why not us?”
Win or lose, the second-year coach plans to build on this season and hopes to add some of the Cincinnati powerhouse teams to the Elks schedule in the future.
“We are going to go wherever we need to go to play that caliber of competition,” he said.
District volleyball notes
* Russia is looking to earn its fifth consecutive district title as the Raiders face Tri-Village Saturday at 2 p.m. in the D-IV tournament at Troy.
* The undefeated Fenwick Falcons head into their district match against Summit Country Day as the second-ranked Division II team in the state, behind only Gilmour Academy, the defending state champions.
* In order to accommodate athletic schedules for multiple D-IV teams, the match between Miami Valley Christian Academy and Jackson Center will now be played at Northmont, rather than Troy, where it was originally scheduled.
Southwest District Volleyball Tournament
Saturday matches
Division I
Butler High School: 3 p.m. – Centerville vs. St. Ursula; 5 p.m. – Springboro vs. Seton.
Lakota East: 11 a.m. – Ursuline Academy vs. Mercy McAuley; 1 p.m. – Lebanon vs. Mount Notre Dame
Division II
Fairmont: noon – Graham vs. Wyoming; 2 p.m. – Tippecanoe vs. Badin
Fairfield: 11 a.m. – Chaminade Julienne vs. Roger Bacon; 1 p.m. – Fenwick vs. Summit Country Day
Division III
Northmont: 10 a.m. – Versailles vs. Clermont Northeastern; noon – Dayton Christian vs. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; 2 p.m. – Preble Shawnee vs. McNicholas
Division IV
Troy: 2 p.m. – Russia vs. Tri-Village; 4 p.m. – Cincinnati Christian vs. Fort Loramie
Northmont: 4 p.m. – Miami Valley Christian Academy vs. Jackson Center
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