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Lancers beat Akron Hoban in five games to win region title – News-Herald

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Lancers beat Akron Hoban in five games to win region title – News-Herald

High drama in “Nest of Cards”. It seemed to me that this is how it should be: a real struggle to the end.

Gilmore and Akron Hoban, ranked as the top two Division III volleyball teams in the state, met in a seemingly inevitable showdown in the regional finals Nov. 2 at Mentor Gymnasium.

It took everything they had, including toughness, to keep fighting back and forth, but the Lancers outlasted the Knights in five sets, winning the fifth set 15-12 to hand Hoban its first loss of the season.

When Hoban’s spike landed out of bounds on the final pitch, Gilmour’s players jumped in jubilation.

For the sixth straight season, the fourth for Gilmore’s senior team, the Lancers went to state. Gilmore will play the winner of the NDCL and Toledo St. Ursula next week in the state semifinals in Dayton.

PHOTOS: Gilmore-Akron Hoban Volleyball November 2, 2024

“Right after it was over, I just started crying,” Gilmore senior setter Ella Jackson said. “(The thought) of me being a senior and about to leave this great group of girls. What a wonderful program this has been, it’s like family. There’s nothing that compares to Gilmore Academy volleyball.”

Jackson won’t have to leave his teammates just yet, as the Lancers still have at least one more game to play and possibly still win a state championship. Gilmore has won three state titles in its history but hasn’t won one since 2021.

“It’s so fun four years in a row, especially with eleven seniors on the team,” senior forward Marley Davis said. “I think it’s a great achievement and not many teams get to do that.”

Gilmore (22-4) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set, but Hoban (26-1) jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Ava Norfolk’s block gave the Knights a 15-9 lead and Hoban took the first set 25-21.

Gilmour rallied to win the second set 26-24 and only trailed once, 1-0 early. The lead changed hands four times in the third set, but the Lancers won that one too, 26-24.

Hoban appeared to play with a little more energy in the fourth set, but Gilmour, who had trailed for most of the set and was down by five points twice, fought back and pushed the score to 30 before Hoban finally prevailed, 33-31, to set up the final decider. setu.

In the final set, Gilmore fell behind 5-4 on a pass from Hoban junior Macy Mintz, but consecutive passes from Gilmore senior Aubrey Anders gave the Lancers a 7-6 lead but put the team away just as Hoban would have a tough time.

Gilmour led 11-7, but Hoban pulled even at 13-12 with the final set played to 15. Anders’ pick for Jackson’s kill in the set made it 14-12, followed by a final break attempt from Jackson. Hoban landed outside the boundary lines, starting the Lancers’ celebration.

“I’m ecstatic right now,” Anders said. “It was a roller coaster, but we stayed strong, played as a team and got through it.”

As great as Hoban had been all season, and as great as the Knights had been in the regional final, losing for the first time all season was tough.

Hoban coach Jim Malouf lamented the costly penalty that was called against his team in the third set and that he didn’t see what the judges saw, but stressed that while it was disappointing, it took nothing away from Gilmour’s victory.

“It’s always difficult to take stock after a tough defeat,” Maloof said. “In the third set we won the set, (the Knights player) fell down, the net wasn’t moving and they said her shoulder hit the net. We lost the set because of this. If it weren’t for that, we would have won with four of us, but that doesn’t take anything away from Gilmour. They have an incredible program and an incredible history, and they played fantastic.”

It was only the second time this season that Gilmour played at full strength after several key players recently returned from injury. From the power hitters at the net, to the setters keeping the ball in play, to the defenders stopping shots, everyone on the court played their part in the victory.

“Everyone contributed so much,” sophomore middle hitter Kayla Williams said. “Aubrey Anders did her job on the court. Bree (Habib, senior libero) was digging in and Ella was making plays and getting the ball to everyone. It made it so easy for us to get kills and scoring opportunities.”

Anders led Gilmore with 25 kills, and senior Kayla Channel added 13. Anders had 63 digs overall, while Davis had 34. Jackson had 52 sets and 21 digs, while Khabib had 22 digs.

“We knew they were going to get their points and so did we,” Channell said of the match with Hoban. “If they scored two goals in a row, we just had to accept it and take the next one. That’s what we’re focused on.”

Gilmore won its 14th regional title and this senior-led group has a chance to make history by winning the program’s fourth state championship.

“I’m glad we were able to do it,” Gilmore coach Danny Coughlin said. “They (Hoban) were bigger than we thought after watching the regional semi-final game. It took us a little time to get used to the way they play, the amount of energy and effort they play with.

“That’s where our schedule comes into play. We have the ability to quickly adapt and compete. Hoban played hard and they played hard. It could have gone either way.”

Grade

Gilmour 3, Hoban 2

Originally published: