FORTVILLE — It may not have been in as dramatic fashion, but it was every bit as impressive.
For the second straight year, Mt. Vernon picked up a big early season win over perennial state volleyball power Cathedral.
The Marauders, ranked No. 10 in Class 4A, defeated the Irish 3-1, winning by set scores of 25-21, 21-25, 25-12, 25-20 at Mt. Vernon High School on Monday.
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In 2018, Mt. Vernon won 3-2 at Cathedral, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to win the final three games against the nine-time state champions, who most recently won back-to-back state crowns in 2015 and 2016.
Though the Marauders came in ranked higher in the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association poll — the Irish were among the teams just outside the Top 10 receiving votes — a win against Cathedral is always one that speaks volumes to opponents down the road and builds confidence for a Marauders team that has high hopes for 2019.
“It’s a huge win in the fact that it’s a psychological push,” Mt. Vernon coach Eric Bulmahn said. “We beat them last year in five and tonight we proved that it was for real.
“I think, from a mental standpoint, this will help push them to the next level.”
After the teams traded a pair of 25-21 sets, Mt. Vernon began making a louder statement in the third set.
Three straight service aces by sophomore Cecilia Bulmahn gave the home team a 9-5 lead. Cathedral cut it to 12-10, but when Mt. Vernon junior middle Olivia Yeley had a solo block, it fired up her and her teammates along with a vocal Marauder crowd.
It was the first point of a 13-2 run to end the set and put the hosts just one set away from winning the match.
“That was huge,” coach Bulmahn said. “That’s like a basketball breakaway dunk that just fires up the whole team and I think it took the wind out of their sails. (Cathedral) is a young team and they got a little bit flustered, but they bounced back well in the fourth set.”
“It brought a ton of energy that I don’t think we were feeling at the time,” junior outside hitter Claire Ertel said. “We need only one play to switch the whole atmosphere. Even (the student section), it brings all of our energy up.”
Mt. Vernon had the energy, but Cathedral didn’t give up. The fourth set had nine ties before the Marauders were able to take control.
Tied 16-16, a surprise attack from senior setter Victoria Bulmahn gave Mt. Vernon a one-point lead. Cecilia Bulmahn followed with a service ace and Ertel added a kill to encourage Cathedral to call a timeout.
After the break, Ertel smacked another kill through the Irish block and sophomore right side hitter Delaney Bowser had a kill to wrap up a match-controlling 5-0 run.
“We had a pretty good season last year, but this year, this win shows us that we can do it again,” Victoria Bulmahn said. “(Cathedral) is a really good team. To have this kind of success early on in the season is really uplifting and will help us carry that momentum for the upcoming games.”
Coach Bulmahn gave a lot of credit to his defense. Libero Sophie Schultz had a team-high 16 digs and was one of three Marauders in double figures. Cecilia Bulmahn had 13 digs, five service aces and 15 kills. As a team, Mt. Vernon had 14 service aces.
Ertel had a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Victoria Bulmahn had 33 assists and five kills. Rachel Pilkington added seven kills and, off the bench, Lillie Perdue had eight digs.
Mt. Vernon (2-0) is back in action Wednesday with a home match, starting with a 6 p.m. junior varsity match, against Noblesville.
