Emanuele, Falcons continue to soar

She rose high above the net and crushed the ball hard enough to leave a welt on the Ireton player unfortunate enough to get in the way. Later, one of her missiles almost took out an electrical outlet on the wall of No. 3 Good Counsel’s gym.

There are reasons why Jess Emanuele is the reigning Washington Catholic Athletic Conference player of the year.

Emanuele and the Falcons were at it again at home on Monday evening as Good Counsel shook off slow starts in each game of the match to earn a 25-16, 25-17, 25-14 victory over the Cardinals.

“I just always want to play as hard as I can on the court no matter what,” Emanuele said of the intimidation factor that comes with her hard hits. “You always have to show that you’re ready for a match and that you have what it takes to win it.”

Good Counsel also received a big performance from sophomore Becca West, a player who entered the year with limited experience but has become the perfect counterpoint to Emanuele on the outside. Good Counsel improved to 3-0 on the season, including a three-game victory over WCAC rival Seton, which upset the Falcons in last year’s championship game.

“That’s a great team and Jess is a great player,” said Ireton coach Kathy Gutman. “Our girls talked to each other about not being shell-shocked by quick they run their offense. But it’s hard not to be sometimes.”

Birthday wishes

» It was a big night for Good Counsel senior Jess Emanule, who celebrated her 18th birthday. Her Falcons teammates sang Happy Birthday to her and ate cake after the match.

» Ireton, which returned seven seniors from a team that finished 9-11, is off to a nice start despite the loss. The Cardinals are 2-1, including a five-game victory over rival Paul VI last week.

» The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Cardinals, who face defending WCAC champion Seton at home on Wednesday and play in the Alexandria Championships on Thursday and Friday.

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