Perrysburg junior Sophie Burkey spikes the ball during the second set of a match against visiting Amherst Steele on Saturday. Perrysburg defeated Steele in three sets (25-12, 27-17, 6-25, 27-25). (Scott W. Grau/Sentinel-Tribune)
PERRYSBURG — Defending Division I state semifinalist Perrysburg opened the season on Saturday hosting an Amherst Steele team that the Yellow Jackets know well.
Steele defeated Perrysburg early in the regular season last year, and the two teams have been in the same Norwalk regional the past two seasons. In addition, the squads scrimmaged each other one week before Saturday’s match-up.
During their regular season contest Saturday, the Yellow Jackets swept the Comets, 25-12, 25-17, 27-25.
“They lost some players; we lost some players,” Perrysburg coach Laura Davidson said. “It was nice to see them last weekend at our scrimmage, so we kind of had an idea what we were coming into.
“We thought we were pretty even. I feel like we played consistently, and we passed better, which led us to be able to run our offense today.”
Perrysburg junior outside hitter Sophie Burkey added, “We scrimmaged them last weekend and we knew we were both going to be different teams coming into today.
“But coming into this week at practice, we just got after it. We knew we had to play to a really high standard,” Burkey continued.
“We talked earlier about how we just had to come out 110% every point, and what happens, happens.”
Burkey led Perrysburg with 11 kills and sophomore outside hitter Katie Pahl had nine kills, two block assists and five service aces.
In addition, junior middle blocker Wrigley Takats had seven kills and four blocks and junior outside hitter Mackenzie Hurley had seven kills.
The Jackets cruised through the first set, opening a 9-1 lead behind three aces by Pahl. Takats, Burkey and Hurley finished the set with three kills apiece.
In the second set, the Jackets also cruised early, opening a 7-1 lead before Steele closed the gap to 8-4, but the Comets had two points taken away from them because of a player serving out of order.
The Comets did close to within four late, 18-14, but the Jackets closed out behind a kill and block by Takats, kills by Burkey, Hurley and sophomore middle blocker Mia Bradeberry, and an ace by junior libero Brooklyn Okoneski.
In the third, Steele grabbed an early 9-6 lead, but behind the serving of sophomore setter Casey Ng, the Jackets later reeled off nine straight points to open a 20-11 lead.
The Comets, trailing 24-18, scored six straight to tie the game at 24, then Steele took a 25-24 lead, but Perrysburg finished the set and match behind Burkey’s kill, senior defensive specialist Maddie Trautman’s ace, and a block by Burkey and Brandeberry.
