On May 14, 2021, No.1 Elder hosted No. 2 Moeller with a chance at clinching a solo Greater Catholic League South title plus a top-ranking in the regional tournament seeding. The Crusaders won that match in five sets, forcing a three-way GCL tie that included St. Xavier.
The two met at Moeller on Friday, nearly a year to the day as last season's decider, and the situation was exactly the same, only the result was different. Elder beat Moeller in straight sets, 25-21, 25-21, 25-22, winning the outright GCL crown for the first time since 2008.
Sean Tierney's Elder squad got to celebrate a conference title while Lee Meyer's Moeller team had to accept it came up short of its goal, but the coaches of the top pair of teams in Ohio's Division I already had more on their minds.
"We didn't do any complete tear down after the loss last year," Tierney said. "We're certainly not going to be complacent after a win this year.
"I don't want to pooh-pooh the accomplishment, but at the same time we don't want this to be the pinnacle."
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The Crusaders did reach the pinnacle last year, beating Elder in the state final, but the 2022 squad is young and instead of playing with the momentum of recent wins, will need to find its new edge.
"As we get into the state tournament, we need to play with a little bit more of a chip on our shoulder," Meyer said. "I know our guys wanted a share of that GCL title and now they have something bigger and better to fight for."
The Crusaders have one more regular season game before taking on the postseason with an almost entirely revamped roster from the championship team the year before.
"At the conclusion of last year, we lost six of our seven starters," Meyer said. "It's been a challenge for us with our younger team in continuing to grow and getting better and competing."
Even with struggles, Moeller sits on a 17-6 record and a top state rank, thanks in part to Will Patterson and Nate Renneker who both returned as players with playing time from last season. Sophomores Tyler Geselbracht and Ben Marcum have stepped up to lead the Crusaders as well.
Marcum acts as Moeller's setter and has eased into the role thanks to a new addition to Moeller's coaching staff: last season's setter J.J. Beckelhimer.
"It's very intentional," Meyer said of having Beckelhimer on staff. "All 10 of the coaches on my coaching staff are intentional choices that are in my coaching staff for specific reasons. One of the reasons I was ecstatic to have J.J. come back to coach this year is because he started mentoring and coaching Marcum last year when we brought him up as a freshman to practice with us during the state tournament.
"To continue that mentorship and to continue that growth from practice has really given Marcum more confidence to go out there and compete in that role despite being so young."
Depending on how regional seedings play out, Moeller could see Elder again in the regional or state tournament should either team advance that far. The Panthers and their players that returned from losing in the state final know what effort is required to play on the last day of the year.
The young Crusaders will just keep learning and growing.
"The thing that we always focus on at Moeller volleyball is making sure we get better every day," Meyer said. "Thankfully it's the end of the regular season and not the start of the postseason."
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