Calvert sweeps Columbian

Like a shark that smelled blood.Columbian got off to a relatively quick start Monday against Calvert, but once the run stopped for Columbian, the Senecas went on the offensive.After trailing by four points early, Division IV, No. 4-ranked Calvert won 14 of the next 16 points and didn't look back, pounding the Tornadoes 25-11, 25-17, 25-19 in non-league action."I think the first two sets we were in control," Calvert coach Lori Rombach said. "That is what we talked about in the huddle - if you want to be a great team, you have to maintain that control through the last point."We have moments where we're putting it all together and it's going," she added. "Then we have moments where we're still trying to figure things out."The Senecas (12-0) have won all 34 sets they've played this year. Only one time has a team even reached 20 points in a set - Old Fort in Set 2 of a loss a few weeks ago. Calvert starts the second round of Sandusky Bay Conference River Division action with the Stockaders tonight."My focus with my team is we have to keep getting better," Rombach said. "Going into the second round (of conference play), we have to handle teams better than we did the first time. It is not just about coming away with a win at this point. We have to create pressure situations and be able to perform in those pressure situations and get better."Columbian (9-4) played well early, winning five straight points including an ace by Lexi Beaston and kill from Abby Lewis to go up 6-2. The Tornadoes also led 7-3 on a Calvert serving error.But, that was the extent of the run for Columbian. Back-to-back Tornadoes errors were followed by a kill by Camryn Shook and ace from Alli Porter to tie it at 7. Columbian led once more at 8-7 after another Calvert serving error.From there, the Senecas won the next seven points with Cecilia Palm serving. Caroline Lanicek and Carleigh Meier combined on a block and Emily Miller smacked three straight kills in the run.A hitting error on the Senecas stopped the run, but Calvert sprinted off seven more points in a row after that. Lanicek heated up and ended up pacing the Senecas with 11 kills.It was her night to lead the team, but on any given night, it can be someone else and it comes from the play from setters Olivia Miller, a senior, or Bryn Dircksen, a freshman."Our setters are doing an amazing job at spreading the offense," Lanicek said. "We have some amazing options wherever you look this year. I think our setters are trusting the hitters to get it done."Ahead 22-11 later, Lanicek and Olivia Miller each tallied kills before Lanicek's ace gave the Senecas the early lead."We were struggling on serve receive and passing," TC coach Hope Boes said. "They hit the ball very well. It was harder to get it to Kaela (Jenkins)."Set 2 was closer, but Calvert led wire to wire. Kills from Lanicek and Porter and an ace by Claire Schoenberger finished off a 5-1 start for the Senecas. The margin ballooned to 12-5 later after Shook registered one of her six kills.The Tornadoes won the next three points - one of the rare times Columbian was able to string points together. The Tornadoes were still within 15-11 after back-to-back kills by Jenkins, but a kill by Shook jumpstarted a 4-0 run by Calvert.Porter smacked two more kills while freshman Bryn Meyer put one down for the Senecas. Two errors by Columbian gave Calvert a stranglehold on the match."When we work on the schedule, I meet with the seniors every year," said Rombach of playing Columbian for the first time since 2020. "I'm their coach and I want it to be special for them. My seniors said they wanted to play Columbian again. The same day I reached out to Hope and tried to get on their schedule. They had availability."Set 3 was by far the most competitive of the match. Calvert jumped out to a quick start, racing to a 7-3 lead early. Columbian rallied and knotted the set at 8-all on a kill.The set was also tied at 9, 11, and 12 and the Tornadoes even surged ahead 14-12 on a Jenkins block. But like all good teams do, the Senecas kept calm and responded.Calvert also allowed Columbian to commit errors as three miscues helped the Senecas take a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way. Kills from Emily Miller and Lanicek gave the Senecas a 20-16 lead.Three more points after a Tornadoes timeout pushed the edge to 23-16. Columbian won three straight points to stay in it, but Lanicek clobbered a block and Emily Miller put down her last of eight kills to finish the win."We didn't give up," Boes said. "They kept playing all the way through. Calvert is a really good team obviously."Calvert's defensive plan started and ended with Jenkins. The Senecas also had to pay attention to Ella Kershner. Both have tallied multiple double-digit kill totals in matches this season. Jenkins finished with six blocks and five kills for the Tornadoes."Our whole intention today was to keep Columbian out of system," Rombach said. "If you let them stay in system and they can set Kaela or Ella, you're going to be on trouble. In order for them to get set, they have to have a good pass from the setter. We tried to keep them out of system as best as we could."Emma Daughtery had 13 digs for Columbian while Avary Brown tallied seven assists. Gabby Shock had five assists before leaving injured for the Tornadoes.After losing back-to-back matches to state-ranked teams, Columbian will play its biggest match of the season so far Thursday when it travels to state-ranked Norwalk (10-2). Both TC and Norwalk are 3-0 in SBC Lake Division play."Tonight was tonight," said Boes of putting the losses behind them. "We have to be ready to face Norwalk on Thursday."Dircksen tallied 16 assists for Calvert while Olivia Miller had 15 assists. Palm (two aces) had a match-high 22 digs while Schoenberger nabbed 13 digs. Even when rotations changed, there was no sign of a drop off for Calvert. That's a scary thought for anyone on the other side of the net from the Senecas. "That's what it feels like from the bench," Rombach said. "Our middles have been playing varsity since they were freshmen and they're doing a great job in their role. I think our outsides are doing a great job and we have some young right sides that are doing their job. "Then we have three girls on the bench that are chomping at the bit to get in. And they can get the job done."