Otsego volleyball sweeps Elmwood

JERRY CITY — Otsego’s volleyball team made sure its share of the Suburban Lakes League championship
didn’t slip away Thursday night.
The Knights — only 48 hours following a terrific performance in a sweep of state-ranked Eastwood — played
almost as well against Elmwood. [SEE
PHOTO GALLERY]
The result was a 25-10, 25-9, 25-10 victory for Otsego, which finished tied with Eastwood for the league
title.
The Knights and the Eagles were 11-1 in the league, each winning at home in their head-to-head matches.

Eastwood had a chance to clinch the SLL outright Tuesday at Otsego. But the Knights earned a 25-21,
25-10, 25-22 win in their best match of the season to hand the Eagles their only league loss.
The Eagles — ranked 19th in Division II — were 25-14, 19-25, 25-18, 25-20 winners at home against Lake
Thursday.
Although Otsego didn’t play quite as well against Elmwood, it was almost as good.
Maybe more importantly, the Knights matched their intensity and effort. The league title was the second
in a row for the Knights, who won with a 13-1 record last season.
Otsego is 18-3 overall entering Saturday’s regular-season finale against Liberty Center.
The Knights already had beaten Elmwood once, a 25-12, 25-9, 25-12 win at home Sept. 22. Elmwood is 7-15,
5-7.
“We played tonight as if we were starting sectionals and playing our last game ever,” Otsego senior Baley
Bernthisel said. “The Eastwood match was great, but we knew Elmwood was still in our way of winning the
league and we had to play our best. We didn’t want to give Elmwood any chances.”
Otsego displayed its usual arsenal of offense and defense.
The Knights attacked from the left, middle and right, from the front and the back, and with power and
finesse. Defensively, they blocked well and dug up most everything Elmwood hit. Otsego served and passed
well.
“The girls knew they had worked so hard and for so long for this, they weren’t going to let down,” Otsego
coach Cheryl Jones said. “We said this is for the league championship, we’re not horsing around and
we’re taking care of business. We’re getting it done.
“We let them enjoy Eastwood, but we came back and had a good practice Wednesday and today they were very
focused. You could tell they knew what they were here to do.”
Otsego received solid play from its Big 7 — seniors Bernthisel, Autumn Berry, Chelsea Bollenbacher,
Katelyn Downing and Ashley Holzwart; junior Karessia Rowell and sophomore Hannah Greulich.
“You always want to be on your game, but even when you’re not, there’s someone to back you up,”
Bernthisel said. “It helps the chemistry when everyone is contributing.”
Bernthisel and Bollenbacher each had 10 kills, followed by Rowell with seven, Holzwart with five and
Greulich with four. Berry had 31 assists.
Downing had nine digs, while Holzwart and Berry each had four. Bernthisel had two blocks, while Holzwart,
Berry and Greulich each had two aces.
The Knights quickly put all three games away — leading 10-1 in Game 1, 10-3 in Game 2 and 7-1 in Game 3.

“Otsego is a tough team,” Elmwood coach Krissy Lotycz said. “They handle every ball and take care of
every opportunity. That’s what good teams do and that’s what volleyball is about. We didn’t show our
true potential or our true colors tonight.”
Elmwood’s leaders were: Lee Ann Irwin, 10 assists; Amanda Peters, four kills, one block, seven digs, two
aces; Samantha Pollard, 15 digs; and Brittany George, 12 digs.
The SLL title was even more gratifying this season because Otsego was favored to win the league. Although
Otsego was 19-5 overall and a district finalist last season, it finished in the bottom half of the
league in 2006 and 2007.
“It was a lot harder this year because people were always gunning for us instead of us gunning for them,”
Bernthisel said. “You have a bull’s-eye on your back and everyone plays their best against us, so that
makes this one more satisfying.”
Bernthisel, Berry and Holzwart are four-year seniors; and Downing is a third-year senior.
Bollenbacher, Rowell and Greulich are in their second season.
“Our girls deserve a lot of credit,” Jones said. “They’ve worked so hard and so long for this, and
they’re so passionate about the sport. They’re just amazing human beings on and off the court. They get
good grades and they’re involved in a lot of different things. I just think the world of them.”