Performance of the Week: Ann Arbor Skyline’s Harper Murray
November 16, 2021
Harper Murray ♦ Junior
Ann Arbor Skyline ♦ Volleyball
The 6-foot-2 outside hitter has led her high school program to its best postseason finishes all-time over the last three seasons and helped her country to fame on the international court as well this fall. Murray’s first three seasons on Skyline’s varsity have coincided with the program’s first three Regional titles in volleyball, including the Eagles’ championship triumph Thursday as she had 26 kills and 20 digs in her team’s five-set win over Brighton. Skyline (53-3-2) advanced to play Northville in one of tonight’s Division 1 Quarterfinals. Murray also was among her team’s leading hitters as a freshman in 2019 as Skyline reached the Division 1 Semifinals – her older sister Kendall, now playing at Michigan, was a Miss Volleyball Award candidate that fall – and the Eagles just missed returning to the Semifinals last season with a five-set Quarterfinal loss.
An all-state first-team selection last season and third-teamer as a freshman, Murray is widely-regarded as one of the nation’s top juniors. Despite spending two weeks this season playing with USA Volleyball’s under-18 national team – she helped it to bronze at the FIVB World Championships in Mexico – Murray has totaled 583 kills over 108 games this fall with a .560 kill percentage and .451 hitting percentage, and she also has 77 aces. She has committed to sign with national power Nebraska, which is ranked No. 11 this week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and won the most recent of its five Division I championships in 2017.
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2021-22 Honorees
Nov. 11: Abby VanderKooi, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian - Report
Nov. 4: Arianne Olson, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Oct. 28: Jack Guggemos, Okemos soccer - Report
Oct. 21: Sachiv Kumar, Northville tennis - Report
Oct. 14: Kate Brody, Grand Blanc golf - Report
Oct. 7: Lilly Nelson, Negaunee tennis - Report
Sept. 30: Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Sept. 23: Riley Hough, Hartland cross country - Report
Sept. 16: Josie Bloom, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Report
PHOTOS courtesy of Terry Jacoby/We Love Ann Arbor (top) and the Skyline volleyball program.
D2/3 Recap: Bronson edges St. Mary in 5
November 15, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It would make sense that Bronson’s most important win to date this season would come in Thursday’s Division 3 Semifinal at Kellogg Arena.
It’s also fair to assume that the No. 2-ranked Vikings’ comeback 3-2 win over No. 1 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central will remain one of the program’s most memorable wins for years to come – regardless of whether Bronson adds to its streak of three straight MHSAA championships Saturday.
The Vikings will face No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing in a noon championship match after twice coming back from one-set deficits against the Kestrels (45-4).
Bronson (57-6) won the fourth set Thursday 25-18 to even the match, and continued the breakaway 15-4 in the deciding set. Bronson had lost its only other match with St. Mary this season.
Junior Keona Salesman had a team-high 23 kills and team-best 26 digs for the Vikings, while sophomore Meagan Lasky had 47 assists.
Senior Abby Jackson had 28 digs to pace St. Mary, while sophomore Mikayla Haut had 18 kills and 18 digs and senior Jessica Long had 24 assists.
Division 3: Unionville-Sebewaing 3, Traverse City St. Francis 1
USA (44-4-4) earned its first Finals berth by holding off a Gladiators comeback attempt after the No. 6 Patriots won the first two sets.
St. Francis (34-14) bounced back from a 26-24 loss in the second set with a 25-18 win in the third as it made only four errors in 35 attacks that game.
But USA came back with just two errors in 38 attacks in the deciding fourth in downing the Gladiators 25-21.
Senior Rylee Zimmer had 27 kills and 14 digs, and senior Nichole Schember had 38 assists for the Patriots.
Senior Molly Mirabelli led No. 8 St. Francis with 22 kills and 28 digs, and sophomore Hannah Sidorowicz had 38 assists.
Division 2: Grand Rapids Christian 3, Lake Odessa Lakewood 0
Top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian (45-5) also will play in its first Final and for its first championship after sweeping the No. 3 Vikings, last season’s runner-up in the former Class B.
Sophomore Addie VanderWeide had 15 kills to lead the Eagles, and junior Jordyn Gates had 35 assists and three aces. Christian had a .349 kill percentage as a team.
Freshman Maradith O’Gorman had a team-high 10 kills for Lakewood, and sophomore Sophie Duits had 13 assists for the Vikings (46-8-2).
Division 2: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 3, Corunna 0
The reigning Class B champion Irish will play for the first Division 2 championship after ending the longest tournament run in Corunna’s history.
Recently-named Miss Volleyball Award winner Maddy Chinn had 17 kills and three blocks to lead the No. 2-ranked Fighting Irish (64-5). Senior Maria Famularo had 22 assists.
Junior Elizabeth Norris led honorable mention Corunna (50-7-5) with 14 kills, and senior Alexa Mort had 22 assists.
PHOTO: Bronson celebrates during its comeback win over Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central on Thursday.