CALUMET TWP. | Six-time defending Class A state champion Marquette has experienced many ups and downs this season.
One of them included team MVP Katie Clancy suffering a peculiar injury involving a pickle jar dropping on her foot in which she needed staples, forcing her to miss a little more than a week.
But in her first game back with the staples taken out, Clancy delivered with a dominant performance in the second and third sets to propel the visiting Blazers over Calumet 23-25, 25-15, 25-19, 26-24 in Greater South Shore Conference action Thursday night.
"It was a freak injury, but I'm pretty much back now," Clancy said. "At first I could barely move and was in a lot of pain, but now I'm playing more loosely."
Calumet (8-7, 3-2 GSSC) got out to a hot start in the first set, scoring nine straight to start the game. However, the Blazers slowly crawled back into it by scoring 12-of-14, but the Warriors prevailed.
Clancy then took over by netting five kills and two blocks in the second set, leading Marquette (9-16, 5-1) to seven straight at one point.
The Marquette senior continued her strong play in the third game with six more kills.
"Katie is our statistical leader and was probably our MVP at state last year," Marquette coach Troy Campbell said. "She's playing much, much better, and she does everything we need her to do."
The host Warriors had a 24-19 lead in the fourth set, but Marquette scored the last seven to send them packing for good.
"When we realize we can play with a team and beat them, we get comfortable," Calumet coach Brianne Cercone said. "We just got frustrated at the end of the game."
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