WICKLIFFE – Wickliffe opened the season with a 25-19, 25-20, 25-17 sweep of visiting Brooklyn on Monday.
The Blue Devils built solid leads in each set, earning a 1-0 start after a 3-18 campaign in 2024.
“It feels good to start 1-0. A lot of our girls, myself included, were nervous coming into the season,” said Wickliffe head coach Tarryn Ward. “But to come out and win, 3-0 nonetheless, is an amazing feeling. We’re starting on a high note, and I’m very proud.”
Wickliffe jumped out to a 17-7 lead in the opening set, thanks in part to eight points from Maddy Prosuch, while Hailey Blazetic added five kills to help secure the 1-0 advantage.
In the second set, after some back-and-forth play, the Blue Devils led 15-10 before Brooklyn surged ahead with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a Niema Davis block in the middle. Wickliffe responded with a 10-5 run of its own to take the set and a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Blue Devils carried their momentum into the third set, building a 19-7 advantage. Brooklyn cut the deficit to six, but a kill by Natalie Sulyok sealed the sweep for Wickliffe.
In each set, Coach Ward called timeouts during Brooklyn’s rallies to help reset her team.
“She told us to lock in,” said Prosuch. “She told us not to let their wins and cheers get to us, and she had to calm us down. She told us to keep pushing.”
With seven seniors graduating last year, Wickliffe relied on three freshmen in the opener, along with several sophomores and juniors making their varsity debuts. Coach Ward was encouraged by what she saw.
“I have a very young team with 12 freshmen through my program. They were all very level-headed,” Ward said. “They didn’t freak out; they did what was needed. I liked our leadership today from our sophomore libero (Audrey Musgrave), and I’ve given her the reins to take charge out there.”
Wickliffe won’t have much time to rest, as the Blue Devils take on Oberlin on Tuesday to complete a back-to-back.
“We need to work on our communication. Our girls love to talk off the court, but it’s almost silent when we get on the court,” Ward said. “The communication is going to be a huge thing for us, and I’m going to keep pushing that. The court should never be silent.”
Prosuch led the way offensively with seven kills and nine service aces, while Blazetic added seven kills and four aces.
Ava Parsons handed out 16 assists with two aces, and Abby Sulyok contributed four kills, four aces, and a block.
Despite the loss, Brooklyn (0-1) showed promise in the middle. Davis and Gianna Kos combined for 11 kills and six blocks, while Katie Estrella recorded three aces and five assists.
Wickliffe (1-0) hosts Oberlin on August 19, while Brooklyn visits Orange the same day.
