High school volleyball roundup

• Gilmour’s 2017 season ended in bitter fashion with a loss to Beaumont in the Division II Lyndhurst District final. The Lancers, state qualifiers the four years prior, returned to the regional level Oct. 27 with a 3-0 win against Laurel in the Division II Gilmour District final. “We played a really clean game against a really nice team in Laurel,” coach Dan Coughlin said. “As a team, we hit over .400which is a team-high for the season. It’s nice to get back to regionals with this young of a team.” Gilmour swept the district final with scores of 25-17, 25-11 and 25-8. Gilmour advances to a D-II Stow-Munroe Falls regional semifinal against Richfield Revere Nov. 1. • Cardinal defeated Berkshire twice during the regular season as the Huskies compiled a perfect record in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division. Like the first two matches, the Burton District final between the rivals would need five sets to decide. This time, the Badgers emerged victorious. Berkshire dug its way out of a 2-0 hole to defeat Cardinal, 3-2, and defend its Burton District crown. “(It’s) always tough when we match up with Cardinal,” Berkshire coach Joni Prots said. “(It) came down to who could make the plays in crunch time, and today that was us.” Cardinal won the first set, 25-20, and outlasted Berkshire in a marathon second set, 33-31. The Badgers rallied to extend the match in the third set, 25-23, then

forced a fifth set with a decisive fourth set victory, 25-12. Berkshire led by a point, 8-7, before it pulled away to take the match, 15-10. Madison Chapman racked up 25 kills for the Badgers, Delaney Tucek chipped in 11 kills and 13 digs and Julia Kastor added 10 kills. Berkshire advances to a D-III Barberton regional semifinal against Apple Creek Waynedale Nov. 1. • Newbury lost its first match with Ashtabula St. John during the regular season and, in the D-IV Southington District final, the Heralds were a game away from winning the rematch. The Black Knights rallied from a five-point deficit to win the fourth set and held St. John off by two points in the fifth to win their first district championship since 2009, 3-2. “Overall, our kids played with great poise under pressure all day,” Newbury coach Michael Chaffee said. “Our game plan was to reduce the game to individual points and battle every point.” St. John took a 1-0 lead with a 25-15 win in the first set. Newbury rebounded to take the second, 28-26. The Black Knights led, 20-19, late in the third set when the Heralds used a 6-0run to forge ahead, 2-1in the match. Newbury won the fourth set, 25-20, and edged St. John, 15-13, in the fifth. Senior Caleigh Hamby led the Black Knights with 16 kills and 21 assists. Haley Hamilton received 72 serves and recorded 36 digs. Malarie Eggleston added 12 kills and Julia Elia chipped in eight. Newbury advances to a D-IV Uniontown regional semifinal against Wellsville Nov. 1.