A Fresh Surprise: Cedarville Dominates Ursuline in a match sweep

By Danielle Cherry 

400 cheering fans filled the stadium on November 15 as Cedarville University women’s volleyball took on Ursuline. The lights dimmed, and the Jackets stepped forward as the starting lineup was called, ready to take on whatever the game brought them. 

This game determined whether Cedarville would keep its position in the G-MAC tournament, given the Jackets’ latest loss against Lake Erie; a win or a loss would change the entire G-MAC playoff positioning.

“Lake Ursuline beat Lake Erie in 3 sets, so it wasn’t like this was going to be an easy win because we knew what they were capable of,” Coach Greg Smith said.

The women started shaky, missing two serves and giving the Arrows a quick lead. But they soon bounced back, entering a back-and-forth fight to stay in the lead. 

Outside hitter Cassi Shields entered the game, ready to hit. She determinedly approached the ball and hit through two blockers, swung with precision, and hit one of her opponents in the head.  

Ursuline’s serves put the Jackets out of rotation, causing setter Kaley Matney to receive balls her teammates couldn’t reach. Yet, Cedarville fought through, even gaining Matney a unique kill, which she doesn’t often get as a setter. In a sweeping ten-point difference, the Jackets took the first set 25-15.

“They are not just cruising right now, trying to get to the tournament. We have things to work on,” Smith said. “We have to get better at, and this was an example of that tonight.”

The crowd roared as Madelyn Hensley killed the first point of the second set. Her towering stature helped her total 13 kills in the match.

The Jackets did things in threes. To gain a three-point lead, Haley Koch blocked, tipped and then killed the ball, earning the team three points in a row. Hensley smashed the ball back at the other team, earning three kills in a row during the second set.

In desperation to get some points, Ursuline tried to distract Alivia Rutt in her service, but Rutt held strong with a seven-point streak. Her service lead caused Ursuline to take a defeated timeout as the Jackets went on a 7-0 run.

The team moved as one unit, communicating effectively with each other. Shouts of encouragement off the court and calls of ‘in’ and ‘out’ echoed from the stands. The women worked together to block 17 balls, an improvement from previous games, and they focused on details that cost them the game against Lake Erie. 

“I felt like the practices that we had were really good. There was a definite focus,” Smith said. “We were just refocusing ourselves and not worrying about or dwelling on what happened on Tuesday.”

Eager teammates pushed three freshmen onto the court, entering into some of their first matches. Alicia Howard, Abby Manika and Allie Pilat made up a front row entirely of freshmen, and they did not disappoint. 

When Ursuline hit the ball, Howard and Manika jumped up and blocked it, seemingly ending the play. However, the Arrows came sprinting back at the net with the full force of a hit, ready to penetrate the block, but to no avail. Howard and Manika blocked the ball in a final leap to protect their court, casting it out on the Arrows’ side. 

With only three points left, the freshmen dominated. Howard reached high and executed a deadly snap, killing the ball. Manika pranced around the outside, defeating her opponent. Pilat ended the game with a resounding smack as the ball hit the court, sealing a Cedarville victory. The team mobbed the freshman, bright smiles all around. 

The crowd burst into cheers, and a deafening wave of victory resounded through the gym. Pom poms flew in the air, a sea of yellow and gold emerging from the stands as the fans took to their feet in triumph. The whole bench jumped up and down with glee. The Jackets did it again in three. 

“We came out focused and did really well,” Coach Smith said. “It was a good match.”

Putting the freshman on the court for the last bit of the game was a wonderful surprise, marking some of their first time playing at the college level. However, for the seniors, this game ushers the end of their season and shows the team dynamic for the coming years. After senior recognition, the Lady Jackets will make their final stand against Ashland on November 16th, and it is sure to be a good fight. 

Danielle Cherry is a freshman Communications major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves a good cup of coffee.

Photo provided by Cedarville Athletic Department – Shot by Logan Howard