FAIRBORN - The reward for a third consecutive trip to the Ohio Division III girls state volleyball semifinals for Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy was a date with undefeated Liberty-Benton.
Liberty-Benton sported a roster of five 6-footers and Penn State commit Karis Willow at 6-foot-4. Izzy Granger at 6-foot is a Toledo commit. CHCA was unable to win a set with Liberty-Benton advancing to the title game 25-20, 25-17, 25-21.
"They're big, they're physical and we didn't have an answer for that today," CHCA coach Lisa Schaad said.
Schaad, who coaches with the Elevation club program, said her girls have seen such height and skill before, but not often. Plus, they do scrimmage the likes of Division I Mount Notre Dame, Ursuline, Mercy McAuley and others.
More:Mount Notre Dame volleyball falls to Magnificat in Division I state semifinals
"We just don't get to see it all the time," Schaad said. "It wasn't a surprise, we just don't have an answer."
Future Nittany Lion Willow had 16 kills with future Rocket Granger finishing with 10. Leading CHCA was freshman Allie Barrick with eight kills. Senior Ava Kraft had seven and senior setter Carmen Soloria had 20 assists in her final high school game. Solaria, Kraft, Mary Jones and Kathryn Hodges were part of CHCA's three straight state semis.
"That's an experience that some people don't get to experience," Soloria said. "We made history at our school and I'm so blessed to have been able to experience that."
Added Kraft, "It's very special, I'm very lucky to have been here three times. Only four teams from state get here."
CHCA, winner of six consecutive Miami Valley Conference-Scarlet Division titles, last played Liberty-Benton in the 2019 state semifinals, falling in three sets. Liberty-Benton went on to win the state title that season.
After back-to-back semifinal visits and records of 21-7 and 20-8, 2021 was supposed to be a rebuilding year after losing five seniors. Instead, with freshman Barrick finishing second in the league in kills, the CHCA Eagles made it back to the state final four at the Nutter Center and finished at 22-6.
Moving on from here Mary Jones will be playing at Palm Beach Atlantic with Soloria and Kraft also pursuing college volleyball options. Eleven players should return to Schaad for a 2022 run.
"We built a little quicker than we thought because coming back here was a surprise, actually," Schaad said. "We already won by being here. I think the culture has changed in our program and at our school. The expectation of excellence has improved."
Liberty-Benton's last loss came Oct. 28, 2020 in straight sets to Ottawa Glandorf. They are 29-0 heading into Saturday's championship match.
CHCA 20 17 21
Liberty-Benton 25 25 25
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