ELYRIA — Getting the ball to your setter could be considered the most important task in the sport of volleyball.
Tuesday, Elyria High used that strategy to perfection in knocking off Northeast Ohio Conference rival Strongsville in four games, 25-19, 25-15,
23-25, and 25-11. The Pioneers improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in NEO play with the victory. Strongsville is 4-3 overall and 1-1 NEO.
“We passed the ball well at times,” said Elyria coach Jodie Johnson. “We still have work to do. You may look at it and say we played well but I look at it and say we still need to improve.”
Senior Sarah Bracey was able to get the ball to her hitters — senior Amanda Medvetz, junior Bridgette Jones and sophomore Kristen Boros consistently all night against the Mustangs. She was credited with 39 assists.
“As long as we got our passes up,” said Medvetz, a Miss Volleyball candidate and a Cleveland State recruit. “(Sarah) played well. It helps to mix it up a lot — it isolates the net. As long as we have one blocker on the outside it helps tremendously.”
The Pioneers were effective with their outside hitting — Medvetz and Boros each had 14 kills, while Jones added 10. Elyria jumped in front in the first game 7-1 and although Strongsville trimmed the margin to 12-9 and 18-15 with rallies, Elyria always managed to answer. Medvetz’s swings were particularly powerful.
In Game 2, Elyria trailed 3-1 early but took control with a five-point run to take a 9-4 lead. Jones, who finished with five solo blocks, had two in a row to give the Pioneers a 20-11 advantage and although Strongsville battled to within 20-15, Elyria finished the game with five straight points.
Strongsville took away Elyria’s outside hitting in Game 3 to win 25-23. The game was tied 14 different times – the last at 19 before the Mustangs scored four straight points. However, even when Strongsville was at set point, Elyria scored three times to narrow it to 24-23 before the Mustangs put it away on a double-block by juniors Katie Kelly and Elise Robertson.  
“We were able to mix up our lineup and put some girls in some different spots – different blocking schemes – and it was successful for us in Game 3,” said Strongsville coach Erick Sopata. “(Elyria) made adjustments to it and we got ourselves in a hole in Game 4. Once we did that, we couldn’t dig our way out.”
Robertson had 12 kills and a half dozen blocks. Senior Allison Buckley had 11 kills.
“We had to adjust,” said Johnson. “(Strongsville) worked to take some things away but it opened up other areas. I thought our defense did well at times.”
Boros dug up 19 balls while Medvetz picked up 16. Boros had four service aces.
Elyria jumped in front, 7-2, early in the fourth game and opened the margin to 18-7 at one time before coasting to victory. For the night, Strongsville made 11 service errors and had a number of receiving errors.
“We knew they were trying to feed those outside hitters,” said Sopata. “We were releasing a little early to try to get double-blocks on them. Game 3 made the difference. We took away their line shot and they were tip- and-roll and hitting cross right to the libero (Megan Anderson) and she was able to dig them up.”
“We know Strongsville’s not going to roll over and play dead,” Medvetz said. “We knew we’d have to pick it up.”
Contact Tim Gebhardt at 329-7136 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

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