ORWELL—Grand Valley didn’t exactly set out to make a statement in its first Chagrin Valley Conference match since 2003, it just turned out that way when the Mustangs rallied to beat visiting Kirtland in a five-set thriller on Thursday.
The Mustangs dropped the first set 19-25 then came back to win the second 28-26 after trailing 24-20. Grand Valley took a 2-1 lead with a 25-18 win in the third set then dropped the fourth, 25-22, but finished off the match with a 15-13 win in the decisive fifth set.
“I don’t know if we wanted to make a statement but we definitely want to be contenders in this conference,” Grand Valley second-year head coach Anna Applebee said. “It’s new for us and new for the school. We just wanted to give Grand Valley a good name and the volleyball program. It’s only my second year here but we wanted to show our school can win and that’s what we came here to do.”
Kirtland seemed to have all the momentum as the Hornets were on the verge of taking a 2-0 lead.
The Mustangs reeled off eight of the next nine points to win the second set and used that momentum to build a 2-1 lead.
“We tend to have slower starts,” Applebee said. “Once they get warmed up, it’s like, we’re playing, we’re playing, we’re playing, we’re going to win; they just hit that point. It was 24-20 and they were like, ‘We can’t lose this.’ They just kick it in and start playing once they get warmed up.”
It helped the Mustangs cause to have four seniors on the court with valuable varsity experience.
Barbara Jackson dominated at the net as she finished with a match-high 27 kills. She also recorded an ace and four blocks. Rylie Pucel posted 27 assists, 12 kills and four aces. Brandy Smith added 13 kills, three aces, 34 digs and two blocks and Hallie Soltis finished with 12 digs, two blocks and a kill.
“They’ve played all four years so they’re solid and they know what they’re doing,” Applebee said. “They have great leadership and a lot of experience, which I think helps a lot.”
Alexis Cooper contributed to the win with 17 assists and Madison Roskos and Mariah Riffett added four blocks and six digs, respectively, for the Mustangs, who improved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the Valley Division.
While Grand Valley leaned on its senior leaders, Kirtland was forced to rely on several young players seeing their first varsity action this season.
“I think it definitely showed a little bit that we’re pretty young, but the girls are talented, and that was a good team,” Kirtland first-year coach Arlayna Newcomer said. “I’m proud of them but I think a few different things happened. In the second game, we had game point and there was a ball that could have been in or out and they called it out. That changed the whole game. There were a lot of little things that could have changed the game.”
Freshman Natalie Glowe was a bright spot for the Hornets.
She finished with 16 kills and 18 digs.
“She really stepped up for us tonight,” Newcomer said. “She’s a freshman but she’s so talented and she’s got a lot of potential. She works so hard in the gym and she wants it. At times it shows that she’s a little young but she really stepped up. I’m excited for her.”
Stella DeJohn, one of Kirtland’s few players with varsity experience, led the Hornets with 17 kills and senior Abby Ruckel contributed with 54 assists and six service aces.
“Those two, and really all of our upperclassmen, they’re really good leaders,” Newcomer said. “(With a new coaching staff), it’s not easy for the girls. It’s a big change for them but they lead well and they have high expectations for the team.”
Ava Golem added 18 digs for Kirtland, who dropped to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in league play.
