La Salle tops Lansdale Catholic, takes control of PCL

SPRINGFIELD >> La Salle took full control of the Philadelphia Catholic League with a three-game sweep over Lansdale Catholic, 25-20, 25-19, 25-17, Monday evening at La Salle College High School.

In a match between the final two undefeated teams in the Catholic League, the Explorers were dominant. After falling behind 4-3 in Game 1, they never trailed again the rest of the match.

“It was really big,” La Salle senior Chris Metzler said. “We want to set the tone in the league. Coming out 3-0 ‘W,’ I think that really shows our league the quality team that we are.

“We’re confident, not content. We don’t want to settle, really. We want to keep getting better. We know other teams will. We want to try and stay ahead.”

The first game started tight. The PCL rivals traded the first 16 points to lock together at an 8-8 tie. La Salle scored 12 of the next 17 points to take a 20-13 advantage. Lansdale Catholic responded with four straight to get within three, 20-17. The Crusaders got within three two more times, 21-18 and 22-19, but never any closer. Metzler had a couple crafty finishes at the net and Konrad Kiszka closed the game, 25-20, with a kill.

La Salle took control a little earlier in the second game. The Explorers scored seven straight points to extend a 7-6 edge to 14-6. Ben Herron served six of the points before LC called for time. The Crusaders responded, battling back to get within two, 19-17, thanks to five straight points with Nick LaCalzi serving. La Salle finished strong, 25-19, with Herron serving an ace for the final point.

The Explorers (9-2, 4-0 PCL) jumped out quickly in the third game. Metzler served during a 5-0 run and Luke Barnett during a 6-0 stretch to help La Salle build a 13-3 lead. LC didn’t go away, using it’s own 5-0 run to get within three, 18-15, but that’s as close as the Crusaders (4-5, 3-1 PCL) would get. La Salle won seven of the next nine points and closed out the 25-17 win when LC couldn’t return a block.

“We need to keep the foot on the gas and not let them come back into the game like they have if we do get that lead,” Metzler, a Horsham native, said.