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STEUBENVILLE – The Steubenville sweeps took place Wednesday night inside the Crimson Center.
The Big Red, Harrison Central and Shenandoah volleyball teams met in an OVAC consolation tri-match, and all three matches ended in sweeps. The Zeps began the event by sweeping Big Red, 25-17, 25-22, before taking down the Huskies, 25-12, 25-13. The two locals met in the nightcap, and Big Red came out on top of that one as Big Red swept Harrison Central, 25-22, 25-13.
Thanks to the sweep against the Huskies, Big Red is now 11-10 on the season, while the Huskies drop to 8-14. The big winners of the day were the visitors from Noble County, and thanks to its two wins Shenandoah improved to 15-9 on the season.
The Zeps opened the day’s festivities against Big Red, and the hosts the first point of the match. Unfortunately for them, that would be the only time they led during the match as the Zeps led the rest of the way – minus a brief tie in the second set.
After Big Red struck first, Shenandoah scored the next six points to build a five-point advantage causing Big Red head coach Logan Colabella to call a timeout. Big Red responded and pulled to within 9-8 before the Zeps scored the next point to be the first team to reach 10 points in the set. The victors increased their advantage out to four points before the hosts countered and closed to within 12-10. The visitors answered right back as they increased their advantage back out to five points, and Colabella called her second timeout of the set with her team trailing, 18-14.
This time, Big Red was unable to stem the tide as Shenandoah ended up pulling away to win the set by eight to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Zeps struck first in the second set as they scored the first four points to gain control of the set. Then, Shenandoah extended its advantage out to 7-1 causing Colabella to call a timeout. Big Red battled back following the timeout, and the locals pulled to within 12-11 forcing Shenandoah head coach Megan Grywalski to call a timeout.
The teams then traded points for a while before the home team finally was able to break through and level the score at 20. Big Red had the momentum, however, the Zeps took it right back as they scored the next two points to go up 22-20 forcing Colabella to call her second timeout of the set. Big Red scored the next points to pull back within a point, however, Shenandoah scored the next two to go up by three before holding on and winning the set by three to sweep the match, 2-0.
The match took 32 minutes to complete.
Following the sweep, Shenandoah took a break while Harrison Central warmed up for its match against the Zeps.
Like the first set against Big Red, the Zeps fell behind the Huskies, 1-0, however, that was the only time the Huskies led during the set. The winners were the first to five points in the set, and they built an 8-4 lead on their way to being the first team to 10 after Harrison Central fought back and knotted the score at 9.
Shenandoah scored nine-straight points to double up Harrison Central at 18-9. Grace Bengier – the head coach of the Huskies – called a timeout with the score 14-9, however, the Zeps continued to increase their lead. Later, Shenandoah built a nine-point advantage at 20-11 causing Bengier to call her second timeout of the set, but just like the first time, the Huskies were not able to slow down the Zeps as Shenandoah went on to win the set by 13 points to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Zeps faced their biggest deficit of the night to open the second set as Harrison Central collected the first three points en route to taking the early lead. Unfazed, the Zeps rattled off the next six points to double up the Huskies at 6-3. Shenandoah then pushed its lead out to 11-4 causing Bengier to call a timeout, however, the Zeps kept rolling along as they built a nine-point advantage at 17-8 resulting in Bengier calling her second timeout of the set.
The Huskies refused to go away without a fight as Harrison Central fought back and cut its deficit down to five points, however, Shenandoah capped the night off with a 7-0 run to win the set by 12 points and sweep the match.
The match took 39 minutes to complete.
After another break, the two local teams stepped onto the court for the final match of the night.
The first set was a back-and-forth affair with neither team being able to build too big of a lead.
Big Red scored first to get things started, but Harrison Central countered with the next four points to take a three-point lead. Big Red answered with the next five points to regain the lead by two points. The score was tied at seven before the Huskies went on a run as they built a 12-7 lead forcing Colabella to call a timeout.
Big Red responded with a run of their own as they rallied to take a 16-15 lead making Bengier call a timeout. Harrison Central was able to comeback and regain the lead at 18-17, but Big Red fought back and took a 21-18 lead causing Bengier to call her second timeout of the set.
Big Red extended their advantage to four points at 23-19 before holding on and winning the set by three points to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Big Red carried their momentum into Set 2 as they scored the first nine points of the set to take a commanding 9-0 lead. Trailing by nine points, Harrison Central did not go away quietly as the Huskies battled back and pulled to within, 10-5. Big Red responded and built the lead back up to eight before the Huskies scored the next three points to make it a five-point difference once again.
Harrison Central closed the gap down to four points at 16-12 before Big Red tallied the next two points causing Bengier to call a timeout with her team down by six. The Huskies scored the next point following the time out, however, they did not score again as Big Red ran off the final seven points to win the set by 12 points and sweep the match.
The match took 44 minutes to complete.
Overall for the tri, the action started at 5:25 p.m., and it came to a conclusion at 8.
The matches were the final ones of the regular season for all three teams as they will now turn their attention to the upcoming postseason.
Big Red – the No. 9 seed – is scheduled to face No. 6 seed East Liverpool in an Ohio Division IV Eastern District Sectional Co-Final at 6 p.m. Wednesday up at Potter Fieldhouse. On the same night, but on the East 1 side of the bracket, Harrison Central – the No. 14 seed – will take on No. 3 seed St. Clairsville in a sectional co-final on the road down on John Jenkins Court.
Meanwhile, Shenandoah – the No. 5 seed – will take on No. 4 seed Fort Frye in a Division Vi co-final at 6 p.m. Oct. 22 on the road.