Cardinal holds off Kirtland to maintain lead in Valley Division
By Steve Hare
Cardinal's volleyball team is approaching every remaining league game as if it were a playoff game.
The Huskies swept Kirtland on Thursday, 25-17, 25-10, 25-19, to improve to 13-4 overall and 9-0 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division. Cardinal remains one game ahead of rival Berkshire for first place in the league standings.
"Playing Kirtland is always tough for us," said Cardinal coach Karisca Chambers. "They have some nice hitters and good blockers. Even though we struggled a bit and both teams battled back and forth, I had complete confidence that we would pull out the win."
Cardinal won league titles in 2013 and 2014 and split the CVC championship with Berkshire last year. The Huskies aren't in a sharing mood this season as they are gunning for the fourth straight conference banner.
"We have come so far this season as a team," Chambers said. "I believe that we show up with the mind frame that we will work hard and that we truly believe we have the skills, trust, and team unity to win. We are just one more step closer to winning CVC again for the fourth time."
Senior Maddie Bean, who was recognized prior to Thursday's game for recording the 2,000th assist of her four-year career, led the Huskies with 25 assists and added five kills and seven digs.
"It was greatly appreciated to be honored before the game," Bean said. "It meant a lot to me that the team recognized me knowing I put a lot of work into getting that record."
Jordyn Schultz posted a team-high 13 kills and also had four blocks and 22 digs. Trisha Cesar hammered home two aces, two kills and dug eight balls.
Kaitlyn Shantery posted three aces, three kills and seven digs. Megan Zeigler had nine digs and Hanna Traggiai chipped in with three aces and eight digs. Kaylee Klepper posted seven kills and six digs and Faith Peters had two blocks and five digs.
"As a team we keep improving with each practice and each game," Bean said. "I feel that our team chemistry has come a long way since the start of the season. We are becoming more confident not only with ourselves but with each other. We are playing the best we've played all season and I couldn't be more proud of the girls."
Katherine Skrbis led Kirtland with 13 kills and also dug eight balls. Emily Nerderman had 21 assists and Anna Shuppe had eight digs and eight kills.
Kirtland dropped to 5-6 overall and 5-4 in league play.
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Steve Harehttp://www.ohiovarsity.com
Steve Hare is the Chagrin Valley Conference's Sports Information Director. He also created and publishes OhioVarsity.com, an online publication dedicated to providing hyperlocal coverage to area high school athletic programs. Hare began covering high school sports for the Lake County News Herald in 1997. Hare attended Willoughby South High School through the middle of his senior year, then graduated from Berkshire High School in Burton in 1986. He played football, wrestled and was an all-Geauga county baseball player (1986). He lives in Chardon with his wife Paulette and their children.
The 2023 Chagrin Valley Conference Wrestling Championships began at Perry High School on Friday night and will continue on Saturday with the semifinals.
Athletes from 12 different schools have been named the Chagrin Valley Conference Athletes of the Week.
Kirtland is back in the hunt for the CVC Valley Division title after beating previously undefeated Berkshire on Wednesday, 53-40.
With a 59-25 win at Orange on Wednesday, Chagrin Falls' girls' basketball team secured its first Chagrin Valley Conference title since 2015.
Chagrin Falls, Beachwood, Hawken, and Perry each claimed a Chagrin Valley Conference swimming and diving championship on Saturday at Beachwood High School.