VANDALIA – Losing is always difficult, but it’s part of sports. It’s something that Big Walnut’s girls volleyball team hasn’t experienced at all this season.
That changed on Nov. 13 when the Golden Eagles fell to Rocky River Magnificat 25-19, 23-25, 25-20, 29-27 in a Division II state semifinal at Vandalia Butler, ending a chance at the program’s first state championship and a perfect season.
But that’s not what made the loss so hard.
“We’ve had such a love for this sport and this team and this coach (Ron Lehman),” senior opposite side hitter Val McKim said. “We had such an amazing season, and it sucks that it has to end.
“I can’t go to practice with all my favorite people and be coached by my favorite guy. It hurts.”
Photos by Michael Rich. Story continues below.
Big Walnut (26-1) had never achieved an undefeated regular season, according to Lehman.
Led by a roster that included five seniors, the Eagles made it to the state tournament for the eighth time.
“Last year, we were in every situation,” senior setter Audrey Coulson said. “We got reverse swept, we lost in five, we won in five, we got killed in three and we beat teams in three.
“Our players on the court and our players on the bench – we go at it every day in practice,” she said. “I think that has really paid off. We enjoy it. There’s no drama. We have fun with each other.
“At the end of the day, we’re doing the thing we love with the people we love.”
The Blue Streaks, who won a Division I state title in 2021, get a chance at second one when they face the Kings Mills Kings in the final Nov. 14 at Wright State.
It took Big Walnut some time to settle into the match. Magnificat never trailed in the first set.
The Eagles took the second and the Blue Streaks used a late rally to take the third.
The fourth set was a marathon that saw 14 ties and five lead changes.
For the match, the teams combined for 337 attack attempts. Magnificat had 87 digs as a team and Big Walnut 65.
“It was really good volleyball,” Lehman said. “You hate losing, but it’s fun to play that (kind of match).”
McKim had 14 kills and Shelby Damron added 10 kills and had 13 digs and four aces to lead the Eagles.
Coulson had 36 assists, Claire Dixon had 24 digs, Sophie Hamilton had eight kills and 10 digs, and Abi Swisher had eight kills and seven blocks.
For Magnificat, Julianne Bocci had 32 digs and Scarlett McDavid dished out 54 assists, eight shy of the state tournament record.
Grace Regula had 20 kills, 13 digs and five aces; Kaelin White had 14 kills and 16 digs and Mary Clayton had eight kills and six blocks.
Perhaps Big Walnut’s biggest hero of the day was bus driver Curt Sebald, who came to the rescue after the team’s charter bus broke down.
Sebald, who became the team’s regular bus driver this season, brought them on the 94-mile trip in a yellow school bus.
“He fell in love with us and we fell in love with him,” Lehman said. “He wanted to drive us over here. But had chartered this bus. So, when the bus didn’t show up, we grabbed him and he grabbed a bus.”
It could have been a bad omen.
“I think it was a good sign,” Lehman said.
Added Coulson, “It was meant to be.”
