For the second year in a row, the Trinity Shamrocks won the District 3 Class AA volleyball championships, and this year in convincing fashion, besting the previously unbeaten Fighting Irish of York Catholic in straight sets. When you serve, pass, set, strike, block and dig the ball well, you are going to beat good volleyball teams. And Trinity did all of those fundamentals in tidy fashion at home on Nov. 10 to sweep the Fighting Irish 25-17, 25-13 and 25-19.
Give York Catholic credit for battling and never quitting. Given their roster was a few players short due to illness, they just could not match Trinity playing at the top of their game. The energetic Shamrocks smothered York Catholic’s outstanding hitter Hope Leavy-Gaskins, never letting the senior get into a striking rhythm that can produce points in spurts. Trinity was able put up a stout blocking wall, led by senior six-footer Lauren Trumpy, that never let the Irish get clean looks and hits consistently. And when they did, Trinity was there to dig and transition to offense to maintain momentum.
Last year, Trinity disappointedly lost in the state semifinals on a snowy mid-November night. It seems this year’s team is on a redeeming mission to avenge that loss. If they defend and attack in tidy fashion as they did against a very good York Catholic team, who bested Delone Catholic in the district semifinal, it is difficult to fathom who will be up to besting the ’Rocks this year if they stay on top of their game.
By Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness
