Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – The environment for Tuesday’s top-10 matchup between long-time rivals Solon and Mount Vernon was electric.

Solon junior Yasmine Sell was outstanding and the seventh-ranked Spartans played excellent volleyball.

Mount Vernon and Chloe Meester were even better.

Meester hammered a match-high 18 kills and 3A sixth-ranked Mount Vernon was sharp from the outset in a 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 sweep of the Spartans in a WAMAC East Division tilt in front of a large and boisterous crowd in Solon.

“There is nothing like a Solon and Mount Vernon matchup and it runs deep for me because I’m a Mount Vernon alum so it’s been my rivalry since I knew what a rivalry was,” Mount Vernon coach Maggie Willems said. “It’s so fun to be in this environment and a lot of the match then becomes learning to enjoy the crowd and also managing that in match. I thought our kids did a really nice job in this environment.”

Brooke Ellyson added 10 kills for Mount Vernon to go with 18 from Meester as the Mustangs improved to 6-1 on the season and extending their winning streak over Solon to nine.

The Spartans got 13 kills from Sell but couldn’t overcome early deficits in all three sets while dropping to 6-5 on the season.

“Obviously they have Chloe and she is really good but they played really well,” Sell said of Mount Vernon. “They adjust really well, if you start hitting to a spot they adjust to it and do a great job of that.”

Playing in front of a raucous road crowd Mount Vernon took control of the match early.

Meeter had three kills and a pair of ace serves during a 9-3 Mount Vernon run to open the match.

“I think that our execution early in the match helped us to gain confidence,” Willems said. “That is really a big difference maker in a big match like this.”

Mount Vernon never trailed in a 25-19 win in set one that featured seven kills from Meester.

The 6-foot-3 Louisville recruit closed out a 25-19 win in the second with back-to-back kills.

Meester had six of her 18 kills in the final set including a key kill that tied the match at 23 and sparked a 4-0 Mustang spurt that completed the sweep.

“She is better every time I coach her and it’s so fun, some times I am just flabbergasted at some of the swings that she takes,” Willems said of Meester. “Her back row play is huge, she is really solid in the back row and then a threat for us offensively too. I think her developing into a six-rotation player has been really important for our team.

Trailing two sets to none Solon played its best volleyball late.

The Spartans used a 5-0 burst that featured three kills and an ace block from sophomore Jozie Lahr to take a 23-21 lead and force a Mount Vernon timeout.

Out of the timeout the Mustangs responded with a 4-0 burst to close out the match.

“They are able to adjust their game really well,” Siddell said. “When we adjusted our defense they were able to adjust their offense to score points on us. I think that’s a testament to how well they are able to adjust their game.”

Sell led Solon with 13 kills while junior Grace Erwin had eight kills and three ace blocks.

Lahr had four kills and three ace blocks as the Spartans finished with an 8-1 edge in ace blocks.

“Solon is a top-five 3A team and I am not confused about that,” Willems said. “They are very good, they are very athletic and they are well-coached. We prepared, we knew some of their tendencies and where we wanted to put on service pressure and thankfully for us tonight that worked out.”

The loss was the fifth straight for Solon, all coming to Class 5A or ranked opponents.

Despite the loss Sell said the Spartans took some confidence away from the match.

We know we can compete against good teams,” Sell said. “I thought we played well tonight against a very good team and that gives us confidence.”

Mount Vernon           25  25  25  

Solon                          19  19  23

Solon (Kills-aces-blocks)

Brynn Deike 1-1-0, Grace Erwin 8-0-3, Aly Stahle 3-0-1, Yasmine Sell 13-0-1, Jozie Lahr 4-1-3, Addie Miller 1-1-0, Totals 30-3-8.

Assists – Brynn Deike 17

Mount Vernon (Kills-aces-blocks)

Caliana Whitaker 4-0-0, Paige Schurbon 6-0-1, Eryn Jackson 0-2-0, Brooke Ellyson 10-1-0, Addison Gookin 0-1-0, Sydney Huber 3-0-0, Chloe Meester 18-4-0, Totals 41-8-1.

Assists – Sydney Huber 28, Jaden Rolland 2

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