Kirtland’s volleyball team turned in a strong performance in beating host Fairport Harding 3-1 on Tuesday.
The Hornets opened the match with a 25-7 win in the first set then won the second, 25-15. The Skippers rebounded with a 25-23 win in the third but Kirtland slammed the door with a 25-15 win in game four.
“Overall, the girls played extremely well,” said Kirtland coach Bob Schenosky. “I thought they did a great job. That put us over .500 for the year and over .500 in the conference.”
Kirtland, which improved to 5-4 overall after starting the season 1-4, was led by Sam Bailey and Taylor Frazee. Bailey led the team with 15 kills and also recorded five digs and five blocks. Frazee hammered home nine kills.
“In the first two games the girls played great,” Schenosky said. “Sam Bailey had one of her best matches of the year. She played aggressive at the net and put down several balls in and around the 10-foot line. She played some good back row, had several blocks. Overall she played a solid game.”
Bailey credited her teammates for her big night.
“Everyone did well,” she said. “The passes were getting up and our setters were putting it in great spots for us. I’m proud of everybody. I just think that overall the team’s chemistry is growing stronger each game. We’re learning to trust each other and that makes it more fun to play.”
Frazee has been among Kirtland’s most consistent hitters.
“She came back tonight and had nine kills for us as well,” Schenosky said. “She stepped it up on the front row.”
After the slow start to the season, the Hornets are playing their best volleyball of the year and they’ll need that momentum heading into a difficult stretch of their schedule.
The Hornets host Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division leader Berkshire on Thursday then play Division I non-conference opponents Cleveland Heights and Eastlake North before kicking off the second half of league play.
“We went 1-4 (at the start of the season) but we had a couple of matches that I thought were winnable,” Schenosky said. “We’ve won the last four so I think we’re jelling at the right time. We’re coming into a very difficult part of our schedule the next couple of weeks. We’ve got Berkshire on Thursday and we have two out of conference games against big schools, Division I schools. I think we’re coming in and jelling as a team. I think that was reflected in the first two games tonight.”
