OHS volleyball team knocks off Pellston to stay perfect in SVC
The Onaway High School varsity volleyball team defeated visiting Pellston on Tuesday, 25-15, 25-16, 26-28, and 25-17, to improve to 31-5-3, including a perfect 5-0 in the Ski Valley Conference.
The win set up a big Tuesday match with visiting Joburg, which also has yet to lose a SVC match. Onaway has defeated Joburg multiple times in tournaments this season.
While OHS is the fourth-ranked Class D squad in the state, and Pellston came into Tuesday’s match unranked, the win over the Hornets was a big one as they also had yet to drop a SVC match and have ruled the conference for a long time.
Mariah Ehrke set a new school record for kills in a match, with 22, while tying teammate Devin Bristley’s OHS record for attacks in a match, with 60. The senior also recorded three blocks and 22 digs.
Bristley had 13 kills, three blocks, and 21 digs, Taylor Ehrke had 37 assists and 13 digs, Lexi Szymoniak had 13 kills, five blocks, and 20 digs, Sara Fullerton had three kills, two blocks, and 13 digs, and Elise Arkwood had five assists and six digs.
The junior varsity played well but dropped its match with the Hornets, 20-25, 26-24, and 10-15. Allison LaFave, Eleana Domke, Roxanne Kortman, and Tori March each had two kills, while Vidailya Letts had three assists and five aces.
Three days earlier, the varsity Cardinals won their fourth tournament of the season, winning six of seven matches to bring home the trophy from St. Igance – an event they finished as runners-up in last year.
In pool play, the Cards defeated Cedarville, 25-9 and 25-5, fell to Engadine, 25-27 and 23-25, and defeated Newberry, 25-11 and 25-12, and Sault Ste. Marie, 25-17 and 25-10.
Needing a win in their final pool play match to advance to bracket play, the Cardinals knocked off the host Saints, who had yet to drop a set on the day, 25-21 and 25-19.
Onaway then defeated Joburg in the semifinals, 25-22 and 25-10, before handling Brimley in the championship, 25-19 and 25-7.
Mariah Ehrke had 68 kills, 67 digs, three blocks, and four aces, Taylor Ehrke had seven kills, 131 assists, 36 digs, four blocks, and seven aces, and Bristley had 34 kills, 51 digs, and 19 aces.
Szymoniak had 29 kills, 52 digs, and 19 aces, Fullerton had 24 kills, 34 digs, five blocks, and seven aces, and Ash
Last Thursday, the varsity Cards defeated SVC foe Gaylord St. Mary, 25-10, 25-22, and 25-12, behind 13 kills and 12 digs from Mariah Ehrke, 31 assists and six digs from Taylor Ehrke, and nine kills and 12 digs from Szymoniak.
Bristley finished with eight kills, 16 digs, and four aces, while Arkwood recorded six digs in the victory.
Onaway will host its annual tournament on Saturday, with either nine or 10 teams, including the Cards, vying for the trophy. Boyne City and Cheboygan will be among the top challengers. The JV will be at a tourney in Rogers City on Saturday.