The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
COLUMBIA GETS BACK ON TRACK
Raiders move to 6-6 on the year with straight-set victory
After starting 5-1 this season and then dropping five straight matches, the Columbia volleyball team got back on the right track Sep. 21 at Oberlin.
The Raiders (6-6) defeated Oberlin (0-11) in straight sets 2512, 25-5, 25-12 and looked solid throughout, while getting some confidence back after a hard few weeks of matches.
“We definitely came in with a lot of energy and we really wanted to showcase tonight what we could really do after a rough few games,” Columbia captain Natalie Sikorski
said. “We came in and we wanted to show everyone what we were made of as a team and not individually.
Sikorski added the team’s passion for the game has lead to productive talks at practice, emphasizing how working together as a team will lead to more success during games.
“Something we worked on a lot leading into tonight and what will lead us through the second half of our season is we talked about the first ball side out,” Columbia coach Kelsey Geanuracos said.
“The service coming over we want to execute better.
“That is something we worked really hard leading up and we want to take forward with us so it was nice to see that as a successful thing tonight,” Geanuracos said.
The Raiders did just that, executing and communicating well enough to get the three set win.
“I said forget that game even happened,” Oberlin coach Katie Schade said. “That is not our team. That was our team last year but this year, we are a brand new team.”
Schade added “the girls played last night in four sets and today the energy was just a little drained.”
For Columbia, Natalie Sikorski had 12 assists and Megan Simon had 10 assists. Lili Hritz had seven digs, Emily Beck had seven blocks and Gabby Zapola had six kills while Lorelei Sikorski added five kills.
For Oberlin right now, it is about putting it all together.
“They just need to learn how to close a game,” Schade said. “We come so close like (Monday) night and then we just can’t execute the game. It’s everything. They need to eat right and get enough sleep and they still have school. And we work hard. They definitely have come a long way but tonight did not go as we wanted.”
Even though the Raiders lost five straight, they were playing good volleyball against talented teams.
“They are a very resilient team and they work really hard,” Geanuracos said. “We have had some awesome matches that unfortunately we haven’t come out on the winning side of. We came into tonight hopeful to get a win and willing to work really hard to get that.”
Geanuracos added “they really do have that one at a time mentality. It has to be that way. Volleyball is an unforgiving sport.
“What we learn from those games is we can hang,” Geanuracos said about the losses. “We have a lot of sophomores and we are young and what they proving is they are going to fight and they will work hard and will be really fun to watch over the next few years.”
As the grind of October comes soon, both teams know that their mentality is just as important as their play.
“I want to see us have fun,” Sikorski said. “Run plays and play together and make it all click.”
Columbia know starts the second half of conference play so their opponents will be familiar.
“We get to go back and either win a second time and get our first win against a team and use that to get us into our postseason play because it will be here before we know it,” Geanuracos said.
“They have talent,” Schade said about the Phoenix. “We just can’t get down and have to stay positive.”