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Mooney volleyball no match for Gilmour
BARBERTON
It wasn’t the end the Cardinal Mooney volleyball team had in mind, but it was the one the Cardinals were forced to accept Thursday night at Barberton High School.
Gilmour Academy has been the Division III state runner-up three of the last four years and had the look of a team tired of finishing in second place. The Lancers quickly dismissed the Cardinals from the regional tournament in straight sets, 25-14, 25-8, 25-16 to advance to the regional final.
Mooney (23-3) was without its senior setter, and district player of the year, Gina Patella, who injured her right knee in the Cardinals’ district final win over Mineral Ridge. Her presence may not have made a difference, as the Lancers (24-2) were the better, more experienced team on the floor.
“We came out knowing we had nothing to lose and everything to gain,” said senior Mckenzie Reese. “That was kind of our mentality through the game.
“Just give it all we have, because that’s all we got.”
The Cardinals earned their first district championship in school history last Wednesday using scrappiness and defense. That wasn’t going to be enough against an overpowering Lancers team that has six girls 5-foot-10 or taller.
Reese said she felt Gilmour’s height was the biggest obstacle.
“We’re a small, defensive team and I would say they’re an offensive team,” she said. “So that doesn’t really play out as you want it to.
“But they’re a great team that has experience at state.”
With that experience comes expectations for the Lancers. Their two losses this season came against Division I Brunswick and the top-ranked Division II team, Lake Catholic.
Gilmour coach Kelly Coughlin doesn’t want to come away with another runner-up finish this year.
“We’ve played for the state championship three of the last four seasons and I’ve come away feeling like I kissed my sister each time,” he said. “I’m sick of kissing family members.”
If his team continues to play the way it has to this point in the tournament, he won’t have to. The Lancers have swept every match and have yet to allow an opponent to score more than 17 points in a game.
Megan Polak (6-foot) led the team with 34 assists and five aces. Alexa Turk (5-foot-10) had nine kills and four digs, while Ella Grbac (6-foot) added eight kills.
For Mooney, it was coming from all angles.
“They’re a good team — I hope they win the state,” coach Tony Gorvit said. “They’re the best team we played all year, there’s no doubt about that.
“Give credit to them. The best team won.”
Makenna Ozenghar was tasked with stepping in at setter again for the Cardinals, with Patella on the bench. The senior had team-highs in assists (14) and added 10 digs before moving up to play at the net in the third game.
Reese had seven kills and eight digs, while Marcella Adams had seven assists and eight digs. Lauren Lottier led the team with 15 digs, which were needed often because of Gilmour’s ability to play above the net.
“Our offense never got on track,” Gorvit said. “The girls played hard the whole time and didn’t quit.
“Defensively I thought we played well, but offensively we just never got going and it showed.”