Girard cruises to win

Although playing without injured Stephanie Scarnecchia, the Indians dominated Streetsboro to advance to a regional final.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BARBERTON -- Stephanie Scarnecchia decorated the bus and baked cookies. If the senior on the Girard High volleyball team wasn't going to help her teammates on the court, she would do so off it.
"No one can replace Stephanie Scarnecchia," said sophomore Erin Stevens. "It felt so good to see Stephanie every time we came off the court. It felt like I was playing for her."
With Scarnecchia, one of the Indians' senior leaders, sidelined by injury, her team cruised into the Division III regional final with a 15-3, 15-0 victory over Streetsboro on Thursday at Barberton High.
Costly kill
Scarnecchia, a starter and co-captain, had made the winning kill to clinch Girard's district championship victory over Burton Berkshire last week, but she tore her ACL on the play.
With Scarnecchia watching from the bench, her left leg in a brace and crutches by her side, the Indians didn't have any trouble with Streetsboro.
"She let us know what we had to do," Girard senior Tealle Hunkus said.
Girard (24-3), which lost in the regional semifinals last season to Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph, advanced to its first regional final in school history.
The Indians will play Lutheran West at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barberton. Lutheran West defeated Smithville 17-15, 15-13 in the other semifinal.
"The girls were a little overwhelmed here last year," Girard coach Phil Walters admitted. "They came out today with more intensity. We were looking forward to this."
In command
With the Indians leading 3-1 in the first game, senior Janeen Delgenio served six straight points for a 9-1 lead. Hunkus converted two tips and a block for points in the rally.
"They sent the ball and we just answered," said Hunkus, who finished with 14 kills. "I was going up looking for an open spot and they kept falling in."
Girard finished off Streetsboro (16-11), which hurt itself with unforced errors, in timely fashion. With junior Kristen Ragozine serving in the second game, the Indians scored the first six points.
Another six-point run, behind the serving of Stevens, put Girard ahead 14-0.
Walters felt comfortable with his team's early leads.
"It's tough to come back at this point of the season," he said. "Big gym, huge scoreboard. Our kids went through it last year."
Solid serving
The Indians appeared comfortable from the start. In fact, their serving, led by Delgenio's eight points and an ace, was precise.
"That might have been the first match that we didn't have one service error," Walters said.
Stevens finished with 18 assists, while sophomore Lee McLane added seven digs for the Indians, who have beaten all five tournament opponents in two games.
"We knew we had a chance to go deep" in the tournament, Hunkus said.
"We're working together and it's paying off."
richesson@vindy.com