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When Eastwood's volleyball team lost a five-game home match to Suburban Lakes League rival Genoa early in the season, Eagles coach Jeff Beck didn't give his team much time to sulk.
“They were disappointed for about one day,” Beck said, “which is all I allowed them to be. It was one of our worst performances of the year.”
The Eagles got their revenge later in the season, when they traveled to Genoa and knocked off coach Amanda Cichocki's Comets on their home floor, again in five games. Eastwood and Genoa tied for the SLL championship with 11-1 records.
“We had two barnburners both times we played each other,” said Beck, whose team tied Otsego for the league crown a year ago. “It couldn't get any more fun than that. You never knew who was going to win until that fifth game and the final whistle blew. A co-championship is still a championship to me. Genoa had their entire team back as well, and I have a lot of respect for Amanda. She's a close friend of mine and I hope to have battles with her every year.”
Eastwood won its second straight Division II sectional title by beating Scott in three games and then topping Wauseon 25-14, 25-11, 25-13 in the championship match at Liberty Center.
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Eastwood Katie Primeau (5)
sets for Courtney Rolf (13)
in a key Suburban Lakes
League match against visiting
Genoa. (Press photo by Harold
Hamilton/www.HEHphotos.life
pics.com) |
“We played one of our best matches of the year,” Beck said. “I definitely think we're peaking. My six seniors realize they're not ready for the season to end. We didn't have one single passing error against Wauseon. It was really our passing and our defense. Our setter barely had to move, which set up a lot of options because our offense was really strong.”
The Eagles took a six-match winning streak into Wednesday night's district semifinal against Ottawa-Glandorf at Liberty-Benton, and the Eagles made it seven straight in straight games, 25-20, 30-28, 25-18. Eastwood faced Celina in the district final Saturday.
“Ottawa-Glandorf is a lot like us,” Beck said. “We played them in the same spot (at districts) last year and we scrimmaged them in August. They only lost one senior from last year and we only lost one senior. They have a 19-6 record and we are 21-4. It was a close match last year and we won in four games. We had to play well to have a chance to beat them.”
Senior outside hitter Whitney Hoodlebrink leads the Eagles in kills (252) and has 199 digs and 46 service aces. Courtney Rolf, a junior middle hitter, has 201 kills, 52 aces and leads the team with 55 blocks. Senior middle hitter Victoria Bruning has 52 blocks.
Senior setter Katie Primeau has 653 assists to kill this season and senior libero Christine Foster has 309 digs. Jordan Frobose, a senior outside hitter, has 184 digs.
Eastwood, Genoa and Lake are the only SLL teams to reach the district tournament. In D-III action at Perrysburg Wednesday, Lakota beat Lake in three straight, while Genoa beat Liberty-Benton in three straight.
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