High school volleyball: Kira Holland taking game to next level as Medina beats Hoover

MEDINA — Senior outside hitter Kira Holland is playing the best volleyball of her career, and that's very bad news for every team on Medina's schedule. Holland hammered nine of her match-high 21 kills without committing an error in the final set Wednesday, propelling the Bees to a 25-19, 29-27, 25-18 non-league victory over North Canton Hoover. Less than 24 hours earlier, the 6-foot-2 standout equaled her career best with 24 kills in a four-set triumph at Archbishop Hoban. Holland's 45 kills in back-to-back matches are her most on the prep level. "The power has always been there, but I'm seeing the court really well right now," she said. "Placing the ball and knowing where to put it has made a big difference in the way I'm playing." Few prep athletes can match Holland's strength on the left outside, especially now that her surgically repaired right shoulder is fully healed. Adding precision placement to her skill set seems almost unfair. "(I'm) finding holes in blocks really helps, as well," said Holland, whose 103 kills lead Medina County. "I've been working on that a lot in practice, trying to learn everything I can in order to help the team." All-Gazette senior Makenzie Schellenberger also shined with a match-high 25 assists and four kills for Medina (5-2), which recorded its third sweep of the season. Senior libero Cassidie Thomas fired a pair of aces and was exceptional keeping points alive. Schellenberger and Thomas made 17 digs apiece and were the key to the Bees fighting off three set points in the second. Thomas, a second-year varsity player, has answered the main question facing the Bees as the replacement for the graduated Chloe Wise. She was smart, aggressive and repeatedly frustrated the top hitters for the Vikings (2-4). "It was such a big spot to fill with Chloe, but I really wanted it and worked hard all offseason to try and win it," Thomas said. "There is nothing like the adrenaline you feel right before you hit the floor, knowing you have to make a perfect pass. I love it." Livi Miller paced Hoover with 11 kills and five blocks and Grace Craig had nine kills and five blocks as part of a tough middle duo. Brooklyn Griffiths and Mackenzie Voss each had 11 assists. The match was a reunion for head coaches Jason Schellenberger of Medina and Kim Solosky of the Vikings. Solosky was an assistant to Schellenberger on the best team in Bees history, the 2011 squad that reached the Norwalk Division I Regional semifinals. "I remember Makenzie (Schellenberger) coming to practice every day and being a little gym rat," a smiling Solosky said. "If you would have told me we'd all be here 11 years later in this same gym, I would have thought you were crazy. It still feels like home." Medina's Anslie Krogh posted eight kills and a pair of aces, Aubrey Miranda added six kills and Emily Piehler had three kills and two aces. Claire Kolesar chipped in 12 assists and Maddy Kessler had a team-best three blocks. Jason Schellenberger moved within five wins of Jenny Young's school-record 108, which rank 10th in county history. Contact Brian Dulik at brisports@hotmail.com. Follow him @BrianDulik on Twitter.