Girls volleyball: Cloverleaf beats Northwestern, off to best start in 10 years

WESTFIELD TWP. — The future is bright for the Cloverleaf volleyball team. The present looks pretty doggone good, as well. Senior Madi Young collected 31 assists and a match-high six aces and sophomore Marlo Downing hammered 17 kills as the Colts beat Northwestern 25-23, 25-18, 18-25, 25-15 in non-league action Wednesday. Freshman Kenna Kohl delivered four of her 11 kills in the fourth set and senior Dixie Potter had nine kills for Cloverleaf (6-1), which is off to its best start to a season in 10 years. "We do have a lot of young players, but we're also making a point about who we are now," Young said. "We're a lot more connected than we were last year, and we want the energy to keep carrying over and building for us every time we play." Setter Young and rising star Downing have perfected their already strong chemistry in their second year together, which is very bad news for the rest of the Metro Athletic Conference. Downing put on a hitting clinic with kills from all across the front row and back row bombs, made countless clutch defensive stops and displayed poise well beyond her years. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter was at her best in the fourth set, ringing up six kills, two aces and a block. "Marlo has gotten so much more confident as she's gained more experience," Young said. "We're always talking about what she wants to run, and communicating on the court." Downing, who set a season high in kills, tipped her cap to Young and all of her teammates for powering the Colts' rapid improvement. "Our success comes down to the team because we really flow together," Downing said. "This is going to be our year." The Huskies (2-6) gave Cloverleaf all it could handle thanks to a trio of stat-stuffing evenings by their outside hitters and setter. Senior Claire Buchholz blasted a match-high 22 kills with 11 errors, sophomore Shiloh McConahay had 12 kills and three aces and senior Kelsee Smith posted 40 assists. The rest of Northwestern's squad managed just 12 kills, which is where Cloverleaf's depth was the difference. Middle hitters Porter and Kohl each made six blocks, compared to four total by the Huskies, and senior Chloe Bene put down four of her five kills in the finale. Libero Evie Barth, defensive specialist Lauren Cook and Downing each had three aces. "It's been a fun year," Colts coach Rebecca Roupe said. "We've seen a steady up climb since our first two scrimmages, and that's even with dealing with a series of injuries." Kohl was feared to have damaged her right anterior cruciate ligament over the weekend but breathed a sigh of relief when an MRI came back clean. She played with a tight knee sleeve and moved well. Serving specialist Tessa Bogucki, who missed a week with a concussion, was cleared to return tonight when Cloverleaf hosts MAC co-leader Norton. The Colts' lone loss was to Coventry, which hasn't lost a set in three league contests. "Beating Norton is a big deal for our seniors," Downing said. "We want to help them get it done." The Panthers have had Cloverleaf's number in volleyball and basketball during the careers of multi-sport athletes Young and Barth. They made no secret how much it would mean to score a win on their home court. "I've never gotten the best of them in basketball or volleyball, so they are the team we want to beat," Young said. Contact Brian Dulik at sports@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @BrianDulik on X.