Fallsnewspress.com - Deep Falls volleyball team anxious for season

by Frank Aceto

Associate Sports Editor

Last year, the Cuyahoga Falls volleyball team had to play a handful of matches without a key player.

Fortunately for the Black Tigers, that key player is healthy this season.

Unfortunately, there is something else.

Another key player will have to miss a handful of matches this year.

That is the case for a Falls team that lost a three-set affair to Boardman in a 2009 Division I district semifinal match to conclude a 14-8 season.

The Lady Black Tigers also finished third in the Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division behind co-champions Hudson and Mayfield.

Junior outside hitter Kelsey Beatty, who missed the first several matches last year with a foot injury, is fully healthy in 2010 and is expected to start.

However, Falls' most productive player, 5-foot-11 junior outside hitter Erin Wilson, is expected to miss some time due to a knee injury.

Wilson had anterior crucial ligament surgery during the winter and has been practicing with the team. But 14th-year head coach Scott Nickol plans to take it slowly with his two-time all-conference pick.

"Kelsey and Erin are the strengths of the team," Nickol said. "Erin led us in kills and Kelsey was second."

Nickol doesn't think Wilson's injury will ruin the season. In fact, he believes this team can make some noise in the Lake Division and the postseason.

"We're going to be an exciting team to watch," Nickol said. "Back in the day, we were always one of the contending teams in the league. We're trying to get back to that. We have a lot of talented, smart kids."

The Lady Black Tigers lost just one player to graduation in middle hitter Kelly Whittaker.

Falls' starting setter will be back. Christina Vineyard, the team's captain, was a first-team all-conference player in 2009.

"She's very solid and very smart," Nickol said. "She's a good leader. We're counting on her to run the offense."

The two starting middle hitters are seniors Ashley Lawrence and Marita Magyar. Lawrence was a starter last season and Magyar also got a number of starts in 2009.

"We're not very big in the middle, but we're athletic and quick," Nickol said. "They're high leapers and are very fast."

Junior Sophie Moskowitz is expected to start as one of the outside hitters. She plans to move back to the libero spot when Wilson returns.

"Sophie is one of the best liberos in the conference," Nickol said.

The two other returning starters are seniors Emily Robinson (right-side hitter) and Laura Hammer (defensive specialist). Other potential starters include junior Maddie Edgar (opposite right-side hitter) and senior Adrien Petrone (defensive specialist).

The reserves comprise senior middle hitter Cashinae Morris; juniors Lauren Smith (defensive specialist) and Heather Mousavi (junior outside hitter); and sophomore backup setter Sydney Robinson, who is the younger sister of Emily.

Nickol's varsity assistant is Kelly Bruce. The junior varsity coach is Jen Conley.

Falls plans to use a 5-1 offense that includes a number of substitutions.

"We're going to be a situation-oriented team," Nickol said. "We're going to play nine to 10 players every match."

Nickol believes the road to the division title goes through Hudson.

"Hudson, with [6-2 outside hitter] Makenzie Wickert, is the team to beat," he said.

The Lady Black Tigers were scheduled to host Mayfield Aug. 28. Results were not available at press time.

They are set to visit Lake Division rival Garfield Heights Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

E-mail: faceto@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3914