The Huskies jumped out to a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set of their Senior Night festivities Oct. 6, but ultimately couldn't hold a lead through five, falling to the Trinity Trojans from Garfield Heights, 3-2.
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The Huskies jumped out to a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set of their Senior Night festivities Oct. 6, but ultimately couldn’t hold a lead through five, falling to the Trinity Trojans from Garfield Heights, 3-2.
Between JV and varsity games, underclassmen took time to honor their four seniors: Kelsi Collins, Ronee Collins, Emily Doolittle and Skylar Ehrhardt.
Doolittle got the Huskies started with an ace back at the service line, and after an ace from sophomore setter Madelyn Ehrhardt, the next eight points would go to the visiting Trojans.
First-year Huskies Head Coach Anne Mann took her first timeout of the evening as her team trailed 9-2.
Then the Huskies went on a 5-4 run, cutting the Trojans’ lead to six, 13-7, and forcing Trojans Head Coach Susan Dezzutti to call a timeout.
Out of the timeout, the Huskies notched another point after a hitting error by Trinity’s middle blocker, Gabby Hemphill.
Following an ace and another kill in the middle of the court, Mann called her second and final timeout of the first set, trailing 15-9. An ace from Ellie Zoeckler ended the first set, in the Trojans’ favor 25-16.
Sophomore Morgan Csontos got things started in set two with a kill out of the middle. Teammate Kylie Miller rotated into the set, sending Csontos back to the service line. She would pick up an ace and add four points behind her serve. During that rotation, Dezzutti took her first timeout of the set, trailing 6-1.
Everything the Trojans were giving the Huskies, they were not giving up on. A hustle play midway through the second set was awarded to the Huskies after the Trojans sent a freeball out of bounds.
Much of Cardinal’s success in the second set came from freshman Allie Puruczky. The outside hitter has provided consistency during the Huskies’ rocky season.
Cardinal took set two, 25-18, to even the match at one apiece, and set three convincingly, 25-16.
Set four was all Trinity. Going up big, 13-8, the Huskies were forced to talk things over after a setting error. Trinity closed set four on an 11-4 run.
Thus, the Trojans evened the match at two games apiece and claimed a commanding 25-12 fourth set victory.
A kill from the Trojans got them to 5 first in the fifth and final set. The Huskies trailed 10-7 before Mann called her first timeout.
Two match points kept things suspenseful. But finally the Trojans won the set 15-9, and the match 3-2.
Leading Cardinal’s offense was Puruczky with 15 kills. She added four digs and one ace on the evening. Ronee Collins added nine kills and 10 digs in the back row. Libero Skylar Ehrhardt led the back row with 18 digs, while Ehrhardt contributed with 11. Miller led with three solo blocks, while Ehrhardt dished out six assists.
The Huskies picked up a much-needed win Oct. 8 over Chalker, 3-1, and prepared to close out their regular season against Kirtland, LaBrae and Lakeside this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
