Top seed MDI cruises to win Trojans will host Woodland in final

BAR HARBOR – Saturday afternoon’s volleyball match between Mount Desert Island and Jonesport-Beals was a regional semifinal but the host Trojans made it look more like a pre-game warmup.

The Trojans made it look easy and looked every bit the undefeated and top-seeded team they are as they dispatched the No. 5 Royals 25-15, 25-10, 25-15 at Parady Gym.

“It might look easy, but I think it can be pretty hard sometimes,” said junior setter Alyson Yau, who put on a service clinic by going 16-for-16 from the service line with seven aces.

Saturday was not one of those times as MDI’s service combined with its front-line play to make things downright frustrating for Jonesport-Beals.

“Their height advantage is so tough to overcome,” said J-B coach Diane Clark. “They’re so tall that even our tallest blocker can’t get above their hands.”

The Trojans take a 15-0 record into Wednesday’s regional final as they host No. 2 Woodland, which is 15-2 after ousting Washington Academy of East Machias in four sets.

Jonesport-Beals wound up 9-7.

Senior middle-outside hitter Mariah Grover led the Trojans with 13 kills and also contributed a block, an assist and a dig. Her presence at the net was the primary reason Clark had to change her team’s strategy throughout the match.

“We tried to play back, but then their big girls just tipped it right down in front of us, so then we went back to the way we’ve been all season and tried to block them,” Clark explained. “We tried to cover the whole floor, but that’s hard to do against them.”

Jonesport-Beals even tried one- and two-hit returns to try to catch MDI off balance.

Meanwhile, the Trojans were performing a how-to exhibition by digging, setting and spiking just about every return.

“We’re really good with the fundamentals and we like to pass, set and spike. That’s the best way to play,” Grover said.

Trojans coach Todd Brophy said the Trojans ran only two different plays, but basically kept things simple.

“We want to control where the ball’s going, give ourselves time to set up, and get them before they have a chance to set up,” Brophy explained. “We’re transitioning and have a hole that’s supposed to take care of.

“That’s why we’re so aggressive at the net because anytime they make a mistake, it’s like a foul shot for us. And with our serving, we see a lot more of those than other teams and we have the people to do something about it, which is nice.”

One of those people, MDI junior hitter Hannah Adelmann, was 6-for-7 on service with one ace, 12 digs and five kills.

And then there was Yau, who the Royals could never really figure out how to handle.

“She’s been serving like that all year, just over 90 percent,” Brophy said. “She’s controlling her location much better and putting a fade on it when she wants to. With that spin, most people just can’t handle it.”

Vanessa MacLean was 9-for-9 serving with three aces and seven digs for the Royals. Fellow senior and hitter Tiffany Libby was 11-for-11 with three aces. Junior hitters Erika Smith and BreAnna Beal had nine digs and two kills, as well as three digs, a kill, and an ace, respectively.