South Carroll run ends with 3-set defeat to Clear Spring
The goal for this year’s South Carroll volleyball team was to go two steps further than last year. The Cavaliers will have to settle for one.
The Cavaliers’ dream season came to an end in the Class 1A state championship, where they fell to Washington County’s Clear Spring, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16, at Harford Community College.
South Carroll, a state semifinalist a year ago, put up a good fight in all three sets, but the length of Clear Spring and its ability to find holes in the South Carroll defense proved to be the Cavaliers’ undoing.
Elaina Murphy led South Carroll with six kills.
“I’m super proud of them this year. They got one step further than they did last year,” said South Carroll coach Brad Kutzler. “Just from Day 1, I could tell they really wanted it this year. They came together as a team.”
After the Cavs (14-5) got over their initial nerves, they eventually pulled even at 8 in the first set. From that point on, Clear Spring — led by three kills from Audrey Allen — went on a 17-7 run to take the set, 25-15. Every time it looked like South Carroll would make a run, Clear Spring (18-2) responded.
The second set looked like a carbon copy of the first, with the teams tied at 8 before Clear Spring pulled away. The Blazers’ front line of Faith Moore (eight kills), Addy Zeigler (12 kills) and Ella Papa (nine kills) began to assert themselves at the net, and the Cavaliers rarely had an answer as they fell 25-15 again.
In the semifinals, the Cavaliers managed to rally from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Patterson Mill. The Blazers made sure that would not be the case Wednesday.
The Cavaliers used two kills by Murphy and one by Jamie Knight to take a 3-1 lead, but the Blazers responded. Behind the serving of Morgan Householder (seven kills) and Moore, Clear Spring went on a 9-1 run to take a 10-4 lead. South Carroll, on a kill by Knight and a service ace by Cali Kalishek (26 digs), managed to cut the margin to 11-7 but would get no closer before eventually falling, 25-16, to end the match.
“It’s definitely hard to think about this begin our last game,” said senior Emily Trail.
“It’s definitely hard to think about this being our last game. This team, from the start, had this crazy energy. It was addictive.”
“This team, from the start, had this crazy energy. It was addictive.”
Kalishek said it was a great run even though they fell short.
“I walk off the court smiling,” said Kalishek, “We never expected this to go as far as it did. Right now, I’m just proud of us as a team and how far we’ve come. It was amazing.”
Murphy, only a freshman, summed up
what it meant to play on a team that carried South Carroll, a team that hadn’t won a state title since 2007, to the precipice of another championship.
“IjustwanttosayI’msogladIgottheopportunitytoplaywiththemthisyear,”shesaid.“It’s been so much fun, and it’s been such a great learningexperience.Everyonegrewasaplayer this year, including myself. It was a blast.”
For Clear Spring, which also won the state title in 2018, the victory was a meaningful one on several levels. The team dedicated its season to three student-athletes from the school who died in an auto accident right before the school year began.
“We needed this. Our community needed this. Our team needed this, and they needed it as individuals,” said Blazers coach Jessica Custer. “They have persevered more than any group of kids I have ever coached, and they deserve this. I admire their strength, and I’m proud of their leadership.”
Emily Trail, South Carroll senior