Flu doesn’t slow Hubbard’s success

By Tom Williams

BOARDMAN — Luck follows strong teams. Take, for example, the Hubbard High volleyball team.

It is coach Chuck Montgomery’s second squad to enter tournament play with an unbeaten record. (The other was his 2002 team led by Katy Jo Mroski.)

Tuesday at Boardman, the Eagles (23-0 and champions of the All-American Conference White Tier) opened the Division II sectional tournament minus senior ace Jackie Carlisle who has the flu.

If there is one week a coach of a regional contender had to pick to lose his 6-foot outside hitter with a scholarship to Youngstown State, it’s the opening week of the postseason when the best squads tune up against the lower seeds.

Against Liberty, the Eagles were in control instantly, especially after senior setter Marcy Angelo scored eight straight points to give Hubbard a quick 9-0 edge.

The Eagles won the match, 25-5, 25-2, 25-12, advancing to Thursday’s sectional final against Ravenna.

“Things have got to go your way,” said Montgomery of extending the winning streak minus Carlisle and freshman outside hitter Maris Sarisky.

Lexi Starheim, a senior middle hitter, said the Eagles will need Carlisle if they face Field and Salem in next week’s district.

“I’m relieved that [her illness] is not next week,” said Starheim who scored 18 points with six aces and made 11 kills. “We really need her then. I’m glad that she’s able to take time off and get better.

“She has amazing kills but she also hustles, she blocks, she’s just a really important part of our team,” Starheim said.

Angelo, who scored 16 points with five aces and made 27 assists, said, “We need her to rest up and have her for next week. She usually averages 15 or more kills.”

The Eagles’ success is no surprise.

“We have a lot of juniors and seniors, and they’ve been pointing to this year for a long time,” Montgomery said. “We’re not looking past anybody here, that’s for sure. Salem, Field and Southeast are all here.”

Playing at top strength next week to earn a regional berth is important to the Eagles’ seniors. Last year, Hubbard was eliminated in the finals of the Jefferson district by Mentor Lake Catholic in five games.

The Eagles are unbeaten because they defeated Salem on Oct. 7.

“It’s probably about the best feeling in the world,” said senior Courtney Angelo (Marcy’s twin sister who is an outside hitter). “It’s nice to get something that you’ve worked so hard for. That’s one thing that we’ve always done — work very hard.”

Sophomore Kaitlyn Evans made 10 kills.

Starheim said the undefeated regular season didn’t come easy.

“It’s a big accomplishment but we’ve worked really hard for it,” Starheim said. “It’s not like we sat around and did nothing.

“We practiced every day. In the summer, we were in the gym every day. If we didn’t have school, we were in the gym ... in the morning, after school, all the time we were in the gym practicing.”

For Liberty, Mindy Dykes, Kandace Coward and Vekeyla Merriweather each scored two points.

Field 25-25-25, Struthers 13-12-15

Arielle Kenyon led the Falcons with 12 points and 30 digs.

Field advanced to a sectional final match on Thursday against Cardinal Mooney.

williams@vindy.com