ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Rocky River closed out its regular season with a 3-0 win over Normandy in Thursday's Great Lakes Conference Crossover Challenge.
The Pirates prevailed by scores of 25-21, 25-15, and 25-8 in what was a matchup of third-place teams from the GLC West and GLC East. Hitters Samantha Young (18 kills, one error) and Madie Shoaf (12 kills, one error) combined to pound out 30 kills against just two errors on a night River hit .238 overall. Estella Giomini carded 32 assists and 10 digs.
Taylor Spies paced a back line in a solid Pirate effort that yielded 10 total dig errors, the team's fewest in a three-match game since Aug. 26. Spies had 15 digs without an error in the shutout win at the Corner of Wagar & Detroit.
Harper Piguet had five kills and two solo blocks. Paige Waite had 14-of-23 River serves in the third game and finished the night with two of the Pirates' eight aces.
Thursday's victory marked Rocky River second this season over the Invaders, River is now 12-2 versus Normandy since the two programs became Great Lakes Conference foes in 2015.
The Pirates (12-10) will now prepare for tournament play. Rocky River is slated to play St. Martin de Porres on Tuesday (7:30 p.m., Copley High School). The contest is part of bracket play in
one of five DI Northeast Ohio districts.
CANNON FIRE ...
HITTING STRIDE: Rocky River went into Thursday's match hitting .162 on the season. But with the .238 effort against Normandy, the Pirates have now hit .230-or-better in five of their last seven matches. Rocky River is 5-2 in that stretch. ... Madie Shoaf's 12 kills marked a season high and the junior's most in a single match since Oct. 6, 2020 (12 vs. Bay).
SWATTIN' SAMMY: With her 18 kills Thursday, Samantha Young moved past 300 for the season. The sophomore standout has 314 kills in 63 sets (5.0 average) this season. Young went into Thursday's match with a team-high .293 attack percentage.