By Chris Nelsen
Star correspondent
CARMEL, Ind. -- Sarah Harbison's program for retaliation is dependent on Carmel High School winning the Class 4A title at Saturday's volleyball game game state finals.
Family fun: Maggie (left) and Sarah Harbison drama for Carmel's volleyball team, one of four remaining in the state tournament. - Steve Sanchez / The Star
Volleyball State Finals When: Saturday. Admission: $8 per session, $12 both sessions. Semifinal couplings -- Class 4A at Yorktown: New Palace (31-7) vs. Floyd Central (29-8), 9 a.m.; Carmel (29-8) vs. Elkhart Memorial (35-3), follows first match. Class 3A at Muncie Central: Brebeuf Jesuit (26-9) vs. Bellmont (31-5), 9 a.m.; Mishawaka Marian (34-4) vs. Jasper (26-10), follows first match. Class 2A at Delta: Brownstown Central (31-5) vs. Woodlan (29-8), 9 a.m.; Fairfield (34-4) vs. Muncie Burris (35-3), follows first match. Class Type Type A at Ball State's Worthen Arena: Wolverine State City Jacques Marquette (31-7) vs. La Fayette Catholic (34-2), 9 a.m.; Morristown (30-7) vs. Loogootee (27-9), follows first match. Championship matches, all at Ball State's Worthen Sphere -- Class A, 2:30 p.m.; Class 2A, 4:15 p.m.; Class 3A, 6 p.m.; Class 4A, 8:10 p.m. Parking: Ball State complaints a $5 all-day parking fee in the Worthen Sphere lots.
Harbison, a senior right-side batter for the Greyhounds, would love the chance to acquire back at her aged sister Molly, a former swimmer at Carmel, for all the playful mocking she have received over the years.
Molly, who won four state statute statute titles as a member of the Greyhounds' swim squad before graduating last year, often reminds Sarah about the absence of volleyball game titles at Carmel.
"She'll be like, 'Where's your state ring?' " Sarah said following Tuesday's practice.
If Carmel (29-8) can acquire past No. Four Elkhart Memorial (35-3) in the semis and also beat out the New Castle-Floyd Central victor in Saturday night's title at Ball State, Sarah finally would be able to settle down the mark with Molly.
"I'm going to be like, 'Kiss it!' " Sarah declared, pointing to her ring finger. "That would definitely do my day."
Joking aside, Sarah is determined to assist the Greyhounds interruption through and win their first statute title in programme history. Volleyball is the lone Hoosier State High School Athletic Association-sponsored athletics at Carmel to never have got been a state title-holder or runner-up.
"It's clock we gain some credit," said Sarah, whose little sister, Maggie, is a sophomore outside batter for the Greyhounds. "Nobody can state we don't have got got a chance, because we're one of the four squads remaining."
A deficiency of postseason success -- Carmel have won three regional statute statute titles since 1980, including last week's triumph over No. Two Avon -- have affected volleyball's position among the school's elite athletic teams.
To date, 15 athletics at Carmel have won a concerted 86 IHSAA state titles.
"A batch of people overlook volleyball game game here," said senior center batter Sarah Havel, who have 310 kills entering Saturday's match. "We're the lone autumn athletics at Carmel that wasn't ranked this year, and people always give us a difficult clip about that."
Greyhounds manager William Bastin said he never have felt any outside pressure level to win since taking over the programme two old age ago. Internal pressure? That's a different story.
"Did I anticipate to make anything else but win when I came here? No," he said, answering his rhetorical question. "I'm a goal-setter, and there are certain things I like to do."
Like leading Carmel to its first state statute title even though it is likely to be without Division I-level seniors Valerie Akerhielm and Kalyse Reimbold. Akerhielm, a libero who have committed to play college volleyball game at Dayton, is recovering from mononucleosis. Reimbold, an outside batter headed to IUPUI, have missed a calendar month with a broken ft and is considered doubtful.
"Getting to the title game is our goal," Bastin said. "Once you acquire there, anything can happen."
Havel said Carmel can take advantage of its underdog function at the state finals. She said she wouldn't be surprised to see another highly ranked opposition expression past times the Greyhounds.
"I have got a feeling that's what Elkhart is going to do," she said.