Dee Dee Galligher put it simply.
“It was a great year,” Cathedral High School’s girls volleyball coach said of the 2018 season.
That meant the Lady Irish during the 2018 season built for the future, and it means they succeeded in a big way in the present – and in the process, they carried on one of the most-successful traditions in Indiana high school sports.
The Irish, a year after losing in the sectional final in Galligher’s first year as the program’s head coach, not only won the City Championship in 2018 they also won the Section 10, Class 4A title – doing so with a team dominated largely by inexperienced youth.
“We did a really nice job,” Galligher said. “If you look later in the season, we just kept climbing and
climbing on our improvement.”
The Irish finished 2018 with a 24-12 record. They beat Heritage Christian 3-0 for the City Championship before beating Lawrence North 21-25, 25-11, 25-12, 25-18 in the Section 10 tournament final at Warren Central.
“The city win was great, but the sectional last year was very bitter for us,” Galligher said. “Lawrence
North had beaten us in the sectional last season so to come back in the sectionals, that was great.”
Cathedral advanced to the sectional final with a semifinal victory over Warren Central (25-7, 25-11, 25-15). The Irish won their first-round sectional match over Arsenal Tech (25-2, 25-3, 25-6).
The Irish finished the season with a 3-0 loss to 3-0 Roncalli in a Region 3, Class 4A semifinal at
Greenfield-Central on October 20.
“When a Catholic school plays a Catholic school, you never know what’s going to happen,” Galligher said. “You can be the far less superior Catholic school and end up winning. Roncalli was very disciplined. I tip my cap to them. We were in it the whole time."
“They were just so incredibly disciplined on their defense. We weren’t as disciplined, and it came out that they were the winner. But it was a really good match.”
Galligher said although the regional loss to Roncalli hurt, what she will remember is a team that came together and bonded in unique fashion.
“I guess you could call it a rebuild year because we were so young,” Galligher said, “but the girls just had a really special bond this year. They kind of played for each other.
“They kind of liked being the underdog, because Cathedral’s never the underdog, and I think the girls really liked that just to try to prove people wrong.” Galligher said after a 6-6 start, the Irish just “kind of flipped a switch and turned a corner.”
“We worked a lot on blocking and a lot on our serves,” Galligher said. “Those things, especially in our sectional final game, came in handy. If you teach them they’ll do it. I just didn’t know if in the high school season if we had enough time to teach them everything we needed to teach them. I think sometimes if they didn’t know what to do they did it because they cared so much.”
Galligher said the 2018 Irish also played for its lone senior: outside hitter/defensive setter Rose Meyer, who was named All-City and Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association All-State in 2018.
Galligher called her a clear leader and inspiration.
“I love that kid,” Galligher said. “They really wanted it for her. They respect her so much. She’s a great kid and a great presence on the court. She has every shot in the book and can pass. They wanted it so much for her, but I think they were thrilled they got the sectional win for her.
“Roncalli was a better team, but they just didn’t want it to end because of Rose.”
Also making All-City for the Irish: junior libero/defensive setter Jami Hansen, junior middle hitter Anna Trieloff and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Casper. Meyer, Trieloff and Casper also were named to the All-City Tournament team.
“She’s going to be the next real deal,” Galligher said.
The Irish, in addition to the All-City players, were led by sophomore defensive setter Lucia Corsaro – a player Galligher called “the real deal” and an All-City Tournament team selection – as well as junior setter Mae Hedrick and junior setter Allison Yancy.
Casper finished with a team-high 338 kills and a .302 hit percentage, with Meyer registering 222 kills and Trieloff registering 231. Hansen had a team-high 438 digs. Hedrick led the Irish with 561 assists and Yancy had 460 assists.
“Coach K (Former Irish coach Jean Kesterson) says, ‘You build it and it will happen,’’’ Galligher said. “You’re going to have down years and up years. I think people think it’s a down year, but I think it’s an up year because we had kids who are doing great things and our parent buy in is so amazing.
“I’ve never been at a school where parents are so amazing to the program and to the kids and whatever we need to make this experience the best possible.”