Serving up upsets: Riverside and Stow surprise to reach volleyball regional final

Tim Warsinskey, Plain Dealer Reporter, November 05, 2009 2:25 a.m.

Riverside's Meredith Widecam reacts as teammate Erika West goes for a ball during Wednesday's regional semifinal volleyball game against Wadsworth at Hudson High School. - (Tracy Boulian/The Plain Dealer)

HUDSON, Ohio -- Who are these girls?

"We're from the shadows," Riverside senior Erika West said. "No one knows us. We're tying to make a name for ourselves."

And Stow?

"Our whole team has been trying to figure out what our identity is. We've finally proven ourselves to everyone," Stow senior Charlotte Sykora said.

Perhaps putting the words "regional volleyball finalist" before Riverside and Stow will help their recognition factor. The Beavers, from Painesville Township, upset 12th-ranked Wadsworth in a semifinal Wednesday and will play the other surprise finalist, Stow, for the Division I regional championship Saturday at Hudson.

Riverside's remarkable run began last week when it ended Mentor's 21-year run of district championships. No Riverside team has won a regional championship -- in any sport -- and advanced to a state final four.

Stow shocked eighth-ranked Brecksville in the second semifinal. Stow has a rich volleyball history, but when the sectional tournament began two weeks ago, the Bulldogs were a sub.-500 team.

Stow also upset the top two seeds at the Boardman district, but more prominent in the Bulldogs minds was last year's loss to Brecksville in a regional semifinal.

"This was revenge," Sykora said.

Riverside 3, Wadsworth 1: The Beavers (24-3) continued against Wadsworth (21-4) the versatile and crisp play that has been their hallmark with a 25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-22 victory. Riverside played virtually mistake free the first two games while the Grizzlies were a step behind, especially blocking at the net, where Riverside setter Nicole Bayer had them scrambling.

Bayer, the tallest Beaver at 5-10, had 49 assists and five kills.

"She had timely setter dumps," Wadsworth coach Terri Mason said. "We expected them. We knew that was coming and we didn't play it."

Middle hitter Teresa Noewer was strong early and finished with 17 kills. West, a 5-6 outside hitter, was relentless with 15 kills, two aces and 25 digs.

Amanda Pallija (nine kills) and Adrienne Capotosta (eight kills) led Wadsworth's Game 3 charge back from a 17-11 deficit. Game 4 saw 14 ties and Riverside won a long rally on a Wadsworth hitting error to break the last tie at 20-20. An ace by Jayne Nagy and three kills by Noewer, including a tip on match point, put the Beavers in the final.

Stow 3, Brecksville 1: The Bulldogs (14-11) followed a similar pattern similar to Riverside's victory and beat the Bees, 25-22, 25-18, 21-25, 25-22.

Stow blew a 9-1 lead in Game 3 and nearly did it again in Game 4. Sophomore Kelly Vitt had three of her seven aces during a 7-0 run that put the Bulldogs ahead, 19-10 in Game 4. Brecksville (22-4) rallied behind Olivia Chrzanowski's four kills to get within 23-22. A lengthy rally ensued, and a Brecksville kill attempt went long to set up match point, and Kelly Chilinski's tip won it.

Sykora had seven kills and Lexi Stefanov had five block kills.