MEDINA — A historic postseason run came to an end Thursday night, but Fairview Volleyball left Medina High School with plenty to celebrate and a foundation for future success.
Making their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1995, the Warriors pushed Orrville Volleyball to extra points in each of the first two sets before falling to the Red Riders, 32-30, 27-25, 25-18, in a Division V regional semifinal.
Fairview closed its season at 20-6 with a share of the Chagrin Valley Conference championship, a district championship and its deepest postseason run in 31 years.
For first-year head coach Madi Smith, the loss was disappointing, but the experience gained by a relatively young roster could prove invaluable.
“They ran a faster offense for sure with more connections,” Smith said. “We couldn’t run as fast an offense because we had two completely different levels of play, and we had younger girls that have never played varsity out there tonight, so a little inexperienced.”
Despite that inexperience, Fairview nearly stole the opening set.
The Warriors battled Orrville point for point before a kill by Alicia Connelly and a service ace from Brooke Schmidt helped Fairview build a 21-19 advantage.
Orrville responded with a run of its own to move ahead, 24-22, but Fairview refused to concede.
The Warriors fought off the Red Riders’ attempts to close out the set, extending the opener well beyond the regulation 25 points.
Neither team could create the necessary two-point separation until Luisa Arellano-Ramos delivered a service ace that secured Orrville’s 32-30 victory.
The second set followed a similar script.
Orrville maintained a narrow advantage through much of the set, but Fairview continued to apply pressure.
Schmidt provided a spark with a block and a kill that pulled the Warriors within 19-18.
The Red Riders answered, however, and a kill by Maddison Kraft off the block helped Orrville extend its lead to 22-19.
Once again, Fairview battled back and forced the set beyond 25 points, but Orrville prevailed, 27-25, to take a commanding 2-0 advantage.
After surviving two tightly contested sets, the Red Riders seized control early in the third.
Orrville raced to a 5-1 lead and never trailed, completing the sweep with a 25-18 victory.
Schmidt led Fairview offensively with a match-high 16 kills, while Chloe King distributed 22 assists. Connelly contributed five kills and three blocks.
Although the final score ended Fairview’s championship hopes, the Warriors demonstrated the competitiveness that carried them through a memorable season.
Fairview reached the regional tournament for the first time in more than three decades, adding a district championship trophy to a season that also included a share of the CVC crown.
The Warriors will lose three key seniors to graduation, but Smith believes the experience gained during the postseason will help her younger players build on this year’s accomplishments.
“We’re gonna become a powerhouse. I already know what’s happening,” Smith said. “We’re gonna have another season where we make it far, and we’re gonna push as much as we can.”
For Smith, whose first season at the helm included 20 victories and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen, the Warriors have established expectations that future teams will be challenged to meet.
“They set the bar for my first year; they definitely set the bar a little high,” Smith said. “I would rather the bar be set high so they have something to push towards. Now they’ve had that experience. They know what it feels like for next time.”
While Orrville advances to the Division V regional championship, Fairview heads into the offseason with a renewed sense of confidence and a standard that hasn’t been reached by the program since 1995.
The Warriors’ postseason run may be over, but Smith believes it is only the beginning.
No games scheduled for November 8, 2026.
