CASSOPOLIS — Serving proved to be the difference for Dowagiac in its win over Cassopolis in the championship match of the Cass Classic Volleyball Tournament Saturday.

The Chieftains got off to a great start in the third and deciding set against the Rangers in the championship match thanks to the serving of senior Taylor Froehlich.

Dowagiac won the first set against Cassopolis 27-25, but dropped the second set when Oliva Purlee erased a late Ranger deficit with some outstanding serving, which led to a 25-23 win for Cassopolis.

Froehlich, who has worked hard on improving her serving according to coach Rachel Zeider, said she put a lot of time in preparing for this season.

“I worked on it in the open gyms we had over the summer,” Froehlich said. “I was nervous. But I got less nervous the more points we were getting.”

“She has improved incredibly from last year,” Zeider said. “Her serves are powerful, and we needed that.”

Froehlich finished the day with 13 aces for the Chieftains, who also got 14 aces from Kelsey Crockery and 10 aces from Kassidy Binns. Shelby Jackson finished with seven aces.

 

CASS CLASSIC

At Cassopolis

Blue Pool results

Michigan Lutheran 5-1

Dowagiac 4-2

River Valley 2-4

Eau Claire 1-5

 

White Pool results

Marcellus 4-1

Cassopolis 3-2

New Buffalo 1-3

 

Quarterfinals

Dowagiac d. New

Buffalo 2-0

Cassopolis d. River

Valley 2-0

 

Semifinals

Dowagiac d. Marcellus

2-0

Cassopolis d. Michigan

Lutheran 2-0

 

Championship

Dowagiac d. Cassopolis

27-25, 23-25, 15-12

 

Dowagiac statistics

Kills

Taylor Froehlich 22

Kelsey Crocker 19

Kenzie Cross 19

Jenna Davis 13

Kassidy Binns 10

Emily Demeter 9

Jessie Hulett 6

Taylor Pye 5

 

Aces

Crocker 14

Natalie Davis 14

Froehlich 13

Binns 10

Shelby Jackson 7

 

Assists

Binns 52

Hulett 15

 

Digs

Natalie Davis 129

Jackson 58

Froehlich 37

Crocker 31

Binns 26

Cross 17

 

Cassopolis statistics

Aces

Maile Barber 14

Olivia Purlee 11

Gabby Rowan 6

Sophie Fiala 5

Kiersten Hartsell 4

Lynnzee Armstrong 1

 

Kills

Barber 39

Fiala 24

Madison Suseland 19

Rowan 7

Angel Gary 7

 

Assists

Rowan 69

 

Digs

Armstrong 61

Barber 35

Hartsell 24

Purlee 18

Rowan 16

 

Blocks Solo

Fiala 7

Suseland 6

Barber 4

Gary 3

 

Block assists

Barber 3

Fiala 3

Taylor Herwick 1

Suseland 1

Varsity records: Dowagiac 5-1-1, Cassopolis 3-2