Cedarville beats Hillsdale in tight G-MAC semifinal game, moves on to final

By Danielle Cherry 

Excitement was high as the women’s volleyball team stepped onto the court to face the Hillsdale Chargers. Energy thrummed throughout the packed-out stands, fans ready to support their Yellow Jackets. On the court, yells of encouragement and determination echoed out to the back of the gymnasium. 

In a fast-paced game, Cedarville’s blocking strength, stamina and selfless communication brought them a close three-set victory against Hillsdale: 25-22, 25-27, 25-22.

Cedarville came out in torrents, barraging Hillsdale with strong, swift hits. Seniors Janae Heegaard and Haley Koch took charge of the middle net, unrelenting in their hits. Both kept the Chargers on their toes, being unpredictable in their hitting, moving across the front line, killing balls onto Hillsdale’s side.  

As Heegaard and Koch took care of the middle, Madelyn Hensley took charge of the outside, passing, blocking and killing every ball that came her way. Yet her effort was not alone; rather, her teammates elevated her play. 

“We all came in with a mindset of being selfless and playing together and playing for the team,” Hensley said. 

Relentless pursuit of the ball and communication allowed Cedarville to gain an early lead on Hillsdale. No matter where the ball was headed, Alivia Rutt was on her way there, diving in pursuit of balls, regardless of whether they were already in the stands or ricocheting off the ceiling. 

“I’m just proud of them stepping up,” said head coach Greg Smith. “We knew it was gonna be a tough match, so I am just proud of how we came out.”

Both teams were evenly matched in skill, contributing to their low hitting percentages with Hillsdale at 0.78 and Cedarville at 0.225 at the end of the game. What kept Cedarville afloat was its block game. 

Heegaard began the streak of impressive blocks down the middle, taking away all the available space for a kill, stopping the ball mid-hit and making it drop back down with a resounding crash. 

As for Koch, her blocks sent balls careening onto Hillsdale’s faces, throwing off their gameplay. Between the two of them, Cedarville gained nine points in blocks alone, showing off their impressive timing and coordination. 

“We communicated very well together as a team,” Hensley said.

While Cedarville controlled the net, Hillsdale attacked the Jackets’ flank. Balls were passed out of system, making it hard for Kaley Matney to set. As Hillsdale took advantage, the entire pacing of the game slowed, as the Jackets scrambled to regain their footing. 

“We fixed things that we were making mistakes on very quickly and came back from the runs very quickly as well,” Hensley said. 

When the Jackets were down, they were down badly: balls were shanked, serves hit the net and hits shot into the Chargers’ block. Through all the confusing calls and frustrating missed passes, Cedarville kept its head on straight, not letting the pressure get to them. 

“We didn’t lose focus,” Smith said. “I was proud of how the team worked its way out of certain situations and just stayed focused on what we need to get done.” 

In the third set, the Jackets came out with a new resolve: an unshakable determination. Hillsdale began making mistakes on their side of the court, only adding to Cedarville’s confidence. Towards the end of the match, it was clear Cedarville would take the victory.  

As the score reached 24-22, the crowd rose to their feet, everyone yelling as Hillsdale took their final serve at the Jackets. With a clean pass to Matney, the ball went soaring to Hensley’s awaiting hand. Smack! With a clean-cut kill, Cedarville won in a tight 25-22 match. 

The noise was deafening as the team poured onto the court, screaming with joy. Fans were jumping as if everyone had spontaneously joined a mosh pit. 

As the Jackets stepped off the court tonight, they knew they had made history, but they were not done. The last time the university won the G-MAC tournament was in 2016, and the Jackets are chasing that title again. 

“Looking forward to whoever we play tomorrow, we know it’s going to be a dog fight,” Smith said. “I am just excited that we are there, and now we just got to focus on Saturday.”

With a huge victory, the Jackets are excited and determined as they walk out onto the court Saturday at 1:00 p.m. for the GMAC final game against Ohio Dominican. For players like Matney, Heegaard and Koch, tomorrow will be their last time playing on Cedarville courts. The Jackets are ready to defend their home court, having put in the work to be the champions. 

Danielle Cherry is a sophomore communication major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves to travel and play volleyball.