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Sweep relief: Lakeview takes down Canfield
By Greg Gulas
CORTLAND
With first-place in the All-American Conference’s Red Division on the line, the Lakeview Bulldogs understood that had to play their best against undefeated Canfield if they expected to create some distance in the race.
Sweeping the Cardinals, a team that has swept all but of one of its opponents this season, was just an added bonus.
Jensen Silbaugh had 15 points, 10 kills and two aces, Annie Pavlansky registered 10 kills and five blocks while Laney Lytle added 22 assists as the Bulldogs stopped Canfield, 3-0, on Tuesday night.
“We refused to let the ball hit the floor tonight — everyone hustled on each and every play,” Silbaugh said. “When someone was down, someone else was there to pick us up and while we were able to put together a few runs of our own, limiting Canfield’s runs in all three games was the key.”
With the opening game knotted at 15, two points by Maddie Buch gave the Bulldogs (10-2, 5-0) the lead for good with Silbaugh notching the final two points for a 25-20 victory and 1-0 advantage.
The game featured five ties and seven lead changes.
In the second game, a point by Canfield’s Emma Hartshorn staked the Cardinals (9-1, 4-1) to a 10-3 lead, only to have Lakeview go on a 13-3 run for a 16-13 advantage.
Silbaugh had eight points in the game, including four of the final five in a 25-19 victory.
“This is the best all-around match that we have played this season,” Lytle said. “It wasn’t one person trying to do everything. It was an overall team effort.”
In the third game, Alyssa Householder’s three points helped the Cardinals build a 16-10 margin, only to see Pavlansky’s five points tie the game at 16-16.
Trailing 22-21, three points by Maddie Buch then gave Lakeview a 24-22 lead with the defense posting the final point for a 25-23 victory and their sixth sweep of the campaign.
“Canfield is an excellent team, so coming into the game, we felt as if we had to limit their runs in order to have a chance. We did exactly that,” Pavlansky said. “I like being in that position when the game is on the line.”
The Cardinals defeated Lakeview twice last season.
“We lost both games last season to the Cardinals so they were definitely our off-season motivation. Their head coach, Maria Householder, has built a great volleyball program at Canfield,” said second-year Lakeview coach Caitlin Schnurrenberger. “Laney is our senior leader while Jensen the competitor who never quits. Annie is our youngest starter and the one player I know I can give the ball to in order to make a play. We have six seniors, three juniors sand a sophomore and each one contributes in some way every night.”
Maddy Johns had 14 kills and five blocks and Jessica Meissner added 17 digs for the Cardinals.