The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Cardinals take thrilling five set match over Falcons
Brookside returned just four players with varsity experience and have just a single senior on their roster in 2020. Add on to that their COVID affected offseason and it would be safe to expect a bit of a slow start for the Cardinals.
But after two season opening losses to Brecksville and Elyria the Cardinals added a second straight conference
win, defeating Firelands 3-2 in five sets.
“I think at the beginning of our season Brecksville and Elyria kind of were our scrimmages,” Brookside head coach Jenn Larrick said. “You obviously don’t want to lose games, but playing good teams like that really opened their eyes. I have a team that really wants to work and understands how to correct errors.
“Did I expect to win a match in five this early in the season, no. But I just told them how proud I am that they were mentally able to put it together.”
Midway through the third set Brookside trailed 15-10, but a 7-2 run spurred by freshman Paige Grobolsek’s serving helped launch the Cardinals back even at 17.
Firelands continued to put pressure on the young Brookside team throughout the second half of the set, but the Cardinals
pulled it out winning, 2725.
“My girls adapted really well, and I think that in crunch time for being as young as we are they really stepped up their game,” Larrick said. “We adjusted to the little things they lived through their mistakes and I really think winning that third game was huge.”
Firelands responded in the fourth with a 25-15 victory, led by senior Logan Agney’s strong offensive play.
The loss in the first set was the Falcons’ first dropped set of the season after wins over Open Door and Keystone. Head coach Jordan Kolarik chalked it up to nerves, which she says calmed over the next four sets.
“I think in that first set our nerves showed, we just didn’t play at the comfort level that we normally do, but then we stepped up in set two,” she said. “It was a fun match, Brookside played their hearts out we played our hearts out, I mean 15-13 in that final set it doesn’t get much closer than that.”
Brookside junior hitter Jenna Rothman made
a big impact in the final set, blocking several Firelands attempts at the net in the games’ final points. Rothman, alongside junior Leah Musall carried the Brookside offense throughout the match.
“Her performance was amazing since I’ve only had her practicing about a week I feel like,” Larrick said of Rothman. “She’s much better when she
plays smarter and that last set she got back into a rhythm and she was in balance and blocked some balls.”
Next up for Brookside is another important early season conference test against Keystone on Sept. 8. For the Falcons, they will look to bounce back with a non-conference meeting against Lutheran West on Sept. 5.