United brings home the hardware
Trending
United’s Rileah Phillips sets the ball against East Palestine on Wednesday. (Photo by Michael Burich)
United’s Rileah Phillips sets the ball against East Palestine on Wednesday. (Photo by Michael Burich)
United’s volleyball team lifts the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference trophy after beating East Palestine on Wednesday. (Photo by Michael Burich)
United’s Maelee Smith spikes the ball as East Palestine’s Destiney Burtyk defends on Wednesday at East Palestine. (Photo by Michael Burich)
EAST PALESTINE -- United’s volleyball team had all day to think about its potential league-clinching match against East Palestine on Wednesday.
The Golden Eagles were off school due to water problems and had to put a disappointing performance against Columbiana in the OVAC semifinals on Tuesday behind them.
After some hiccups in the first game, the Golden Eagles put on a performance worthy of a championship in a 26-24, 25-12, 25-7 win.
“We came out a little slow and I think that had to do with laying around all day,” United junior setter Rileah Phillips said. “When we’re at school we’re up and moving.”
The victory gave the Golden Eagles (16-5, 11-1 in the EOAC) a share of their first league title since 2015.
“It’s our first league championship in 11 years and I think this team deserves it more than anyone,” Phillips said. “We’re worked so hard for this.”
Phillips played a big role in the win as she had 18 serving points, seven aces and 24 assists. In the second game she served 13 points in a row to put the Bulldogs away.
Coming into the night, Phillips had 101 aces on the season and had an ace percentage of 27.3. According to statistics reported to MaxPreps, she is No. 1 in Div. VI in Ohio in number of aces and No. 2 overall in the state.
“She’s been a top-notch server for us all year,” United coach Troy Brunner said. “Even if it doesn’t appear as an ace, they had to chase the ball around and that turns into a free ball which gives us an easy swing. We count on her to sometimes take a little pressure off of us.”
“It’s a blessing right now,” Phillips said. “I’ve worked so hard on my serving over the years. I definitely had my ups and downs with it but I have to thank my team for supporting me in my serving.”
During the first game, East Palestine had leads of 5-0 and 18-13. When the score hit 19-15 in favor of the Bulldogs, the match was stopped to honor East Palestine senior Kennedy Andre who recorded her career 1,000th assist.
“She’s a leader for us,” East Palestine coach John Bistarkey said. “This is the first year we asked her to run a 5-1 so she’s like the quarterback out there. Our offense is going to run who Kennedy pushes us. I wish she had a few better passes tonight to get some better assists, but I’m glad she got her 1,000th assist here on senior night. She had been working hard for that.”
Andre now has 1,009 assists for her career after 15 against the Golden Eagles.
With East Palestine up 22-19, United went on a 7-2 run to take the first game. East Palestine, much like it did in the match in which Columbiana clinched its share of the EOAC title, had nothing left to counter United’s attack the rest of the way.
“I was very nervous (coming here), but I was confident our team could do it,” United senior Kendall Erb said.
Erb, who had nine kills, said the team’s main goal was to beat Columbiana to try to get a title for the departing six seniors. While the Eagles did lose two out of three against the Clippers, it was the five-set win on Oct. 1 which got the Eagles over the hump.
“The seniors have struggled to beat Columbiana since middle school,” Brunner said. “It’s always nice when you’re a senior and you can go out on top. They’re very happy.”
Senior Chloe Angelo aided the attack with eight kills for the Eagles. Junior Maelee Smith, who leads the Eagles with 153 kills on the season, had eight kills. Baylee Smith added nine points two aces and nine digs.
Destiney Burtyk led the Bulldog attack with seven kills and 15 digs. Marley Blythe added six kills and nine digs. Madilyn Zimmerman had five digs.
NOTES
• United’s other league titles were in the Tri-County League in 2000 and in the Inter-Tri County League in 2008.
• United won the jayvee match, 25-17, 25-16. Aubrey Danko had 21 points and 11 aces for the winners. Ella Humphrey had three kills, five digs, three points and two aces. Gracelyn Simmons had is points, three aces and four digs.
• The Golden Eagles will play their third match in as many days when they host Fort Frye in an OVAC consolation match today.
• East Palestine (15-7, 8-4 EOAC) got the sixth seed in the Div. VI Northeast District and will travel to Campbell on Oct. 22 to take on No. 19 seed Lowellville. No. 3 seed Campbell and No. 10 seed Western Reserve will play the first match of the day at 5 p.m. The winners will meet on Oct. 27.