11/13/2008 Girls Varsity Volleyball Regional Finals Fruitport - Muskegon Chronicle

Fruitport spikes its way back into quarterfinals (Photo gallery)

Scott Brandenburg | The Muskegon Chronicle, November 14, 2008 2:43 a.m.

SPARTA - A two-year regional title drought was more than long enough in the eyes of the Fruitport volleyball team.

The entire Trojan team played like it was on a mission to reclaim its spot as one of the top eight teams in Class B on Thursday on its way to a three-game sweep of Lakes 8 conference rival Fremont.

Seniors Naomi Bush, Tiffany Brufladt and Charlene Stolarz led the way, but it was a group effort which got Fruitport past the Packers 25-19, 25-20, 25-10 in the Class B regional finals at Sparta.

"Winning regionals was a huge goal for us this year," said Fruitport coach Nicole Bayle. "It's been a stumbling block for us the past few years, so it's good to see us execute at this stage of the season again."

No. 5 Fruitport will play the winner of the Standish-Sterling regional, which featured Petoskey and Sault Ste Marie, in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday at Big Rapids.

The last time the Trojans made it this far is when they advanced to the state semifinals in 2006.

Fruitport is hoping it will again get to the final four and make it to Battle Creek for the first time after so many trips to Kalamazoo before the seasons switched and the venue changed.

"We're excited to win regionals but we want to go as far as we can," said Brufladt, Fruitport's top middle hitter. "It's good to bring the regional title back to Fruitport."

The Trojans aced their way past the Packers.

In the three games, Fruitport recorded 10 aces to Fremont's two.

Bush and Stolarz each recorded three aces while freshmen Lauren Hazekamp and Breanna Geile each added two aces.

"They served us really tough," said Fremont coach Scott Panozzo. "They came out firing on all cylinders. When they can serve us like that and we struggle to pass and get the ball up to our best hitter (senior middle hitter Kelse Moon) and the other hitters, it makes it really tough to win."

The Packers were makingtheir third regional finals appearance, and all three times they've fallen short of the title, twice at the hands of the Trojans.

Moon struck for nine kills, eight digs, two blocks and one of the Fremont aces to keep her team close in the first two games. Kaitlin Huissen added five kills, six service points and nine digs for the Pack.

Fruitport led just 11-10 in the first game and Game 2 was tied at 20-all before the Trojans pulled away.

The Trojans' ability to spread the ball around, thanks in large part tothe improved play of their two setters Hazekamp and sophomore Julie Larson, allowed them to take control.

"Scott's a great coach and they've seen us play, so they know what we like to do and that we like to get the ball to Naomi," said Bayle. "It was great to see that everyone's contributing and it wasn't just Naomi carrying our offense.

"I'm so proud of the way our setters played. It's a tough position and they're playing like upperclassmen. We tell them where to go with the ball sometimes but they've been making very good decisions."

Hazekamp dished out 17 assists and Larson added 14. Bush cranked out 12 kills and junior outside hitter Ashley Hulbert and Brufladt each pounded eight kills.

Another big difference-maker for the Trojans was Stolarz, who tied Bush for the team lead in digs with 11.

"Fruitport served well, attacked well and passed well," said Panozzo. "Stolarz is one of the best liberos I've seen.

"We played great defense like we always do, we just didn't serve receive very well. Other than a couple of tips by their setters, our girls let nothing hit the floor. I was glad to see they were going all out on every play to keep it alive."

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