Moeller topples St. Xavier, McNicholas takes down Badin to advance to OHSAA state tourney
In the boys volleyball regional finals, one defending state champion saw its season come to an end while another moved on for a chance at a third-straight state championship.
The McNicholas Rockets had already beaten Badin twice in the regular season and pulled off the third win in four sets, advancing to the state tournament.
In Division I, two-time defending champion Moeller played to five sets against No. 1 St. Xavier, beating the Bombers for the first time this season to reach the state final four.
More: St. Xavier, Moeller, Badin and McNicholas reach OHSAA boys volleyball regional finals
More: Which setter, attacker duos can cause chaos in the OHSAA tournament?
REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AND FINAL FOUR BOUND! pic.twitter.com/taT9AX90VZ
— Moeller Volleyball (@MoellerVball) May 20, 2023
McNicholas took down the Rams in four sets, 25-20, 30-32, 25-18, 25-17. Badin mounted a major comeback in the second set that was finally decided after each team had gotten to 30 points scored in the set. The Rockets held off any major comebacks in sets three and four to claim the match and the regional championship.
The Rockets advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2017 when they fell to eventual Division II champion Alter. McNicholas reached the state finals in 2008, falling to Archbishop Hoban in the first season a second division tournament was played.
McNicholas (16-10) will meet Region 6 winner St. Vincent-St. Mary in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at Wittenberg University. St. Vincent-St. Mary swept Archbishop Hoban in its regional final match, improving to 18-4 on the season.
Moeller entered the regional final with a 20-4 mark, half of those losses coming to St. Xavier, which had dropped just a single match themselves. By the end of the day, the Crusaders continued their postseason push while sending the top-ranked Bombers home with just their second defeat of the season. Down two sets to one, Moeller forced a fifth set to take the regional 22-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21, 15-12.
The hunt for Moeller's 11th boys volleyball title will begin against Region 2 winner Hudson at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at Wittenburg. Hudson improved to a perfect 24-0 in its regional win over Cleveland St. Ignatius. A state tournament win would also make Moeller the second program to win three-consecutive titles, joining Alter, which won four-straight Division II titles from 2014 to 2017.
OHSAA state finals will be Sunday, May 28, at Wittenburg University. Division I finals kick off at noon and Division II finals follow at 3 p.m. to conclude the inaugural OHSAA tourney.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Moeller, McNicholas win regionals, advance to OHSAA tournament
