Wednesday, October 17, 2001
The Cardinals played without senior Kara Kalasky.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
STOW -- The Canfield High volleyball season ended Tuesday with a sadness the Cardinals' seniors didn't expect after last week's fantastic finish.
Because of an illness, Kara Kalasky, one of Canfield's three seniors, was unable to suit up for the Division I tournament opener Tuesday against Wadsworth at Stow High School.
Despite two rallies that got the Cards back into both games, Canfield lost 15-7, 15-7 when the Grizzlies posted strong runs at the end of each game.
"We've come a long way," said Canfield coach Ronie Haurin of the 13-10 season that included a second-place finish in the Metro Athletic Conference. "We achieved a lot of our goals.
"Our seniors provided great leadership and we have a good nucleus of talent for next year."
Junior Jill Vertanen, a first-team all-Metro Athletic Conference and district selection, had five kills and six digs.
After Wadsworth jumped out to a 6-0 lead, the Cards cut the gap to two when junior Amanda Williams served three points with two aces and senior Vanessa Schutz, a second-team all-MAC honoree, added one.
Schutz finished with three kills and three digs.
Back and forth: The Grizzlies scored twice before senior Stephanie Bellish, also second team all-MAC, served three points for an 8-7 score.
The Grizzlies stepped up with strong outside hitting from Allison Cooper to earn the next seven points.
In the second game, three points by sophomore Ginny Naples and two more by Williams had Canfield ahead 6-5. But the Cards were unable to stop the Grizzlies when Danielle Andreasen served five consecutive points.
Unhappy because their varsity careers had ended, Schutz and Bellish were sadder because they didn't get to finish with their long-time teammate on the court.
"We've been best friends since first grade," said Schutz, who sat out most of last season with mononucleosis. "We've done everything together.
"We're the people who probably yell at each other the most, but we care about each other the most," she said. "I didn't want this to be our last game, because Steph and I wanted Kara to be here for our last game."
Bellish said, "We've always picked each other up. We fight more than anybody, but it's because we're sisters. I've never been closer to two girls in my life. My tears at the end weren't so much because it's over, but that Kara couldn't be here."
Late season heroics: After early season losses to Boardman, Poland and West Branch, the Cards upset United, won the rematch with Poland and upset Salem in two games. It was the Quakers' first MAC loss in at least six years.
"We had a rough start and we moved around a lot until we found ourselves again, found our positions," said Bellish of Canfield's start.
She said the win over Salem in her final home match on Senior Night was "an amazing accomplishment.
"Every year, our entire goal was to beat Salem. And after every year not being able to do it, I can't describe the feeling when it finally happened," she said.
Bellish finished with four points and four assists.
Kalasky received all-MAC honorable mention honors.