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Gwynedd Mercy 5, Marywood 3
2014 CSAC Team Tournament Championship


BOX SCORE


PHILADELPHIA -- Gwynedd Mercy repeated as CSAC Champions, as the Griffins edged Marywood, 5-3, on Saturday for their sixth title in the last seven years.

Having graduated two key strong players from the 2013 championship team, one being the top player in CSAC history with a 96-0 conference record, the 2014 Griffins were somewhat of a mystery at the start of the season.  Despite the huge losses in the line-up, Coach Holt didn't look at the season as a rebuilding year.  Having high standards, Holt heavily recruited a bevy of "young guns" and it proved to pay major dividends.  Freshmen sensations Amanda Goff, who was a Rookie of the Year finalist in voting, and Joslyn "Action" Jackson played pivotal roles in the Griffin's season, and essentially, their playoff run.

After defeating a much improved Immaculata team in the semi-finals, the Griffins moved on to face off with a freight train clicking on all cylinders, with the Marywood Pacers.  The Pacers, who avenged a tough loss to Cabrini earlier in the season, got by the Cavaliers and went to the finals in a tight match.  

It came down to a gun-fight at the O.K. Corral, as was expected.  Just like Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, Gabby Muller and Amanda Goff took care of business against a quality and experienced Marywood doubles team at first doubles, winning convincingly 8-3 against Player of the Year Meghan Nastelli and her partner, Kristen Lambert.  Barely getting by the Marywood first doubles team in the regular season, Muller and Goff decided to launch an onslaught with a barrage of missiles and came up big once again.

Second doubles was critical as well, as GMU defeated the Pacers in the regular season 8-4, but Marywood had a team to be reckoned with Michener and Jackson had to fight hard and came out with smoking guns and captured a hard-fought 8-5 victory.  

Locked and loaded, the re-vamped team of Kristen Kriebel and Jenna Caffarello, despite having less than a handful of matches played together fought to the wire at third doubles, losing 9-7, in the equivalent of double over-time in other sports.

When GMU previously lost to Marywood (breaking the record breaking 70 game regular season winning streak), the #3 doubles got smoked 8-0.  The Griffins made major changes and almost pulled off a monumental reversal, but lost 7-9 (still a major improvement!). 

Heading into singles with a narrow lead of 2-1, Coach Holt was not satisfied. His troops in excitement, Holt stymied any thoughts of enthusiasm and barked to his team to "re-group" and not look ahead..  "After losing our superstar,and top-gun from last season, along with our number 5 (who had a fabulous record between singles and doubles) it was unknown as to who would emerge as the top team in the league".  The bottom line is somewhere in the line-up, people needed to step up. 

In singles, in what has been an up and down season, top-gun Taylor Michener shined in the spotlight in front of a very large crowd and when it really mattered most.....the entire season was on the line.  Having barely lost to Marywood's league MVP earlier in the season, Taylor came out of the gates on fire and blasted her way to a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win, which really made a major statement.  Michener, an incredible lacrosse player in high school as well, showed her true athleticism and the large crowd only helped ignite her fire.

Second singles superstar Amanda Goff, who had an electrifying year in both singles and doubles, took complete control once again and dominated, despite a great effort by Marywood's Kristen Lambert.  "Kristen put up a good fight and is a good player who I really respect.  I recruited Amanda heavily for a reason...she is a great player and gives you everything she has on the court.  I couldn't be more pleased with her performance this year."

Third singles was an incredibly close 3 set match during the regular season, with Avery McCall from Marywood edging out Gwynedd's Gabby Muller.  In the championship, it was once again an incredibly close match, with McCall coming out on top 6-4, 7-5.  Muller, a team captain and senior, ended up with an impressive 75% winning percentage throughout her career at GMU. "Gabby went from first doubles her senior year in high school to a top tier singles AND doubles player for Gwynedd.  She has improved so much since her freshman year, it's astounding. Going from first doubles in high school to becoming one of the top ten players in a very strong Gwynedd Mercy history in very impressive" Coach Holt stated.

Fourth singles ended up being the decisive match of the day.  Kristen Kriebel struggled against Marywood in the regular season, but in the finals, Kriebel came up with her biggest performance of her career.  She had to not only strategize, but yet execute a winning game-plan.  In a complete reversal of fortune, Kriebel came out and clearly was on her game, winning that 5th and most decisive point, essentially winning the championship for the Griffins! Holt stated"I was watching when she was up, but then had to leave to coach other courts.  When I heard the capacity crowd erupt from other side of the building, I was simply flabbergasted." 

5th singles Joslyn Jackson lost a tough match, but the GMU coaching staff have seen truly impressive strides in her game and see tremendous upside. "We have only had her for just over two months and she has improved dramatically.  This young lady has so much potential and fire-power.  We are so proud of her!" 

6th singes Jenna Caffarello won her first set and was down in the second when Kriebel had clinched it for Gwynedd.  Caffarello was fighting hard, as usual, so the outcome is really unknown. "I have the confidence, that had the match came down to Jenna, she could have pulled it out.  Despite trailing 2-5 in the 2nd set, Jenna has proven to be a player you can count on in the clutch.  There is a reason why she was undefeated in singles and earned First-team All-Conference"
Between the dual-headed monster of coaching between Jim Holt and John Magee, who have won 12 championships collectively, in addition to Lingo Kong, Jim Holt Sr., and Dr. Taylor), the GM team has captured the championship 6 of the last 7 years.
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