Mentor Volleyball Triumphs Over Olentangy Orange, Advances to State Final

Mentor High School’s girls volleyball team secured a spot in the Division I state championship match after a 3-1 victory over Olentangy Orange on Saturday at Vandalia Butler High School. This achievement marks only the second time in the school’s history that the Cardinals have advanced to the state final, with their previous appearance dating back to 1998 when they were state runners-up.

The championship match is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Sunday at Wright State University, where Mentor will face the winner of the semifinal match between Loveland and Cincinnati Seton.

Mentor started strong, taking the first set 25-17. The Cardinals quickly established control with an early lead, aided by a solo block and a kill from Melody Garrett. Following that, Addi Keeper contributed two consecutive service aces, extending the lead to 18-9.

In the second set, Olentangy Orange responded decisively, overcoming a 9-5 deficit to take the set 25-18. Audri Vanhuss played a crucial role in this comeback, recording a solo block that tied the score at 15-15, allowing Olentangy Orange to regain momentum.

The third set proved to be pivotal, with Mentor edging out Olentangy Orange 25-23. The Cardinals maintained a slight lead, bolstered by back-to-back service aces from Ava Garrett that established a 14-10 advantage. Vanhuss momentarily interrupted a four-point run by Olentangy Orange with a kill, and Kayden McKinney secured the set point for Mentor at 24-22 before Melody Garrett delivered the final blow with a kill.

In the fourth set, Mentor overcame an early deficit of 1-5 to clinch the match with a 25-18 score. A key kill from Melody Garrett allowed them to take an 8-7 lead, and the Cardinals finished strong with a decisive 7-0 scoring run, featuring two kills each from both Melody Garrett and McKinney.

Melody Garrett led the Cardinals with an impressive performance, recording 18 kills and a hitting percentage of .333, contributing 19.5 total points and 11 digs. McKinney added 15 kills and 18.5 total points with a hitting percentage of .278. Keeper facilitated the offense with 23 assists and three service aces, while Vaiva Apanavicius contributed 13 assists. Ava Garrett led defensively with 17 digs and provided two service aces, while Vanhuss added 5.5 points through two kills, one solo block, and five block assists.

With this victory, Mentor High School’s volleyball team looks forward to the upcoming championship match, aiming to capture their first state title in school history.