NEWARK — Smyrna got off to a blistering start in the DIAA volleyball state championship match on Nov. 16 vs. Ursuline, and after dropping a third-set marathon to the Raiders, the Eagles took control with a big run in the middle of the fourth on the way to a 3-1 victory at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Set scores were 25-16, 25-22, 28-30, and 25-14.
It was the first state title for the Eagles, who were the No. 2 seed. They finished the season 18-1. They are the first team from the Henlopen Conference to play for a state championship
Smyrna jumped out early in the first, using a 4-0 run that included a Carly Timblin ace to go ahead, 10-3. The Raiders got as close as four at 15-11 on an ace from Emelia Panunto, but the Eagles’ big hitters — Eliza Schneider and Anna Richardson — helped them turn the momentum back to Smyrna. Three straight aces from Brooke Berge lifted the Eagles to a 24-13 lead, and after the Raiders saved three set points, Richardson ended the set with a bomb.
Fourth-seeded Ursuline responded by getting ahead in the second. Juliette Cummings scored on a backhanded kill at one point, and a block by Claire Kelly made it 8-5 Raiders. After the Eagles tied the score, 9-9, C.C. DeCaro went for consecutive kills to restore a two-point advantage for the Raiders.
Schneider smashed a kill to spur an Eagles comeback. She had another kill during a 7-0 run, but the Raiders stuck close. Hayley Timmons surprised the Eagles with a kill off the tape, and DeCaro had an ace, followed by a Cummings tap. Some great defense by libero Grace Burns helped Ursuline cut the Smyrna lead to 20-19, and the Raiders tied the score, 21-21, on a block by Kelly.
Back-to-back smashes, however, by Richardson and Schneider, plus an attack error on the Raiders, got it to set point. After one save, an Eagles attack was blocked out of bounds to give Smyrna a 2-0 lead.
The third set was close throughout. The Eagles eventually went ahead, 18-15, and the red-clad Smyrna student section got louder and louder. The Raiders gave their supporters, wearing black, a reason to cheer with a 6-0 answer. That run included a kill by Panunto to tie it up. Cummings sent an attack just inside the right sideline for the lead, and after another kill, DeCaro aced one off the tape to make it 21-18.
A violation on Ursuline started the Eagles comeback. Schneider blasted one off the Raiders’ wall to get it to 23-22, and Abby Obourne went over on two to get it to championship point. DeCaro and Kelly both scored to tie it up before Schneider added another kill for championship point No. 3. The Eagles had one more shot at the crown before the Raiders took their turn trying to end the set. The score was knotted at 28 before a service error and an attack error on Smyrna error finally ended the set and gave the Raiders new life.
The Eagles pulled away in the fourth to clinch the title. Kelly stuffed an overpass to cut the Eagles’ lead to 9-7, but Osbourne had a kill, Timblin an ace and Elise Carter a blast to send Smyrna on its way. Caitlyn McGonigal stopped that run with an attack to the end line, but Carter responded with a block and a tap, part of a standout fourth set for the senior.
The other senior hitters for the Eagles closed it out. Richardson sent a ball straight down to get it to championship point, then retreated to the service line. Osbourne then set Schneider, and she smacked one into the floor to bring the night and the season to a close.
Final statistics were not available late Thursday night. Ursuline ended the season 15-4.
All photos by Mike Lang.
