Girls volleyball: Wadsworth beats Nordonia in battle of unbeatens

MACEDONIA — There are only six undefeated Division II volleyball teams in Ohio. Nordonia was knocked off the exclusive list by Wadsworth on Tuesday night. Lauren Decker hammered a season-high 21 kills and Rowan Kelly had 25 assists and a pair of stuff-blocks as the unbeaten Grizzlies beat the Knights 25-18, 25-23, 25–16, taking over sole possession of first place in the Suburban League National Conference in the process. "We've been working hard at every practice, getting ready for them — and we were feeling it tonight," All-Ohio outside hitter Decker said. "Everyone is healthy, and we are on a roll." Wadsworth (7-0, 5-0) also received six kills from outside hitter Quinn Macko and five aces from fellow sophomore Averie Shell. The Grizzlies are ranked fourth in the OHSVCA coaches poll and are a perfect 19-0 in sets played this season. All of Shell's aces occurred in an eight-point service run in the third that turned an 11-9 lead into a 19-9 stranglehold, taking all the wind out of the sails of the ninth-ranked Knights (8-1, 4-1). "Knowing they were undefeated made us lock in, play hard and play our game the entire night," All-Ohio setter Kelly said. "Even though we have six seniors, the best part of our team is all the underclassmen are treated the same as we are." Another Wadsworth 10th-grader, libero Ellie Wolf, made a match-best 17 digs and chipped in four assists and two aces. Kelly, Decker and senior Emily Snyder had a pair of aces apiece as the Grizzlies dominated the category 14-1. Wadsworth and Rhodes are the only D-II squads not to have lost a set, but the Rams' compete in the woefully weak Cleveland Senate League and have only played four times. "I'm very proud that we haven't had any dips in our matches yet, which is unusual this far into the season," Ohio University signee Kelly said. "We're all committed to being our best." Outside hitter Rylee Kinnell posted 11 kills and three blocks, setter Avrey Palinkas had 16 assists and outside hitter Madison DuPont added nine kills for Nordonia. The Knights had only dropped four sets in their first eight matches: two to Brecksville and one each to Medina and CVCA. There were 11 ties and five lead changes on the evening, but Wadsworth was only in danger in the middle set when Kinnell had consecutive kills to push Nordonia's advantage out to 12-8. Robert Morris signee Decker answered with three kills in a five-point surge to put her team in front. She later ended the set with a blast into the back left corner, coming out of a timeout after the Knights pulled within 24-23. "Our bare minimum goal is to win the league again, but if we can win all of our sets too, that would be great," Decker said. Senior middle hitter Lily McComas had two kills and a team-best three blocks for Wadsworth, which continues its toughest week of the season tonight against reigning Greater Cleveland Conference champion and heavy favorite Mentor. The Grizzlies also travel to the loaded Massillon Jackson Polar Bear Invitational on Saturday. "We're ready for this series of tests," Wadsworth coach Allyson Wines said. "Playing good teams is the only way you get better." Contact Brian Dulik at sports@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @BrianDulik on X