Braves cruise past Bears in league opener

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The Olentangy girls volleyball team, after finishing a perfect 10-0 in league play a season ago, picked up right where it left off Tuesday night in Lewis Center, opening OCC play with a convincing three-set win over visiting Olentangy Berlin.

The Braves started fast and never looked back.

A kill by Sophia Weithman gave Olentangy (6-2, 1-0) a 17-5 edge in the first set and, after an ace by Phoebe Durst got Berlin (3-4, 0-1) a point closer, a Kennady Wiley kill set up match point — a point the Braves earned via a Berlin hitting error to take the set 25-14.

The Bears hung around early in the second set, pulling within a point, 4-3, thanks to a kill from Mara Roth, but the Braves used a 13-4 run to take control. A Finley Sparks kill made it 17-7 and, after a combo block from Berlin’s Emmy Bush and Rosalyn Zielinski, Olentangy unleashed a 6-1 run to take the set 25-10.

Berlin took an early lead in the third, jumping on top 1-0 with an ace, but the Braves scored the next four and never trailed again.

Olentangy, already up 4-1 thanks to a well-place shot from Emma Bebo, scored eight of the next nine points after the Bears’ ace to all but seal the deal. The Braves led 9-2 after a kill by Wiley and 11-3 courtesy of an ace by Madison Franzel.

Berlin battled down the stretch — Natalie Pedigo picked up a block to close to gap — but Olentangy was too much in the end, winning the third set 25-11 to seal the deal.

Next up, Olentangy will host Bishop Watterson today at 6:45 p.m. in non-league action while Berlin will look to bounce back against visiting Hilliard Darby on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Olentangy Liberty 3, Dublin Coffman 1

The Patriots opened league play with a solid 25-16, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22 win over the visiting Shamrocks Tuesday night in Powell.

Claire Murkowski led the attack with 12 kills. Other standouts included Abbey Queen, who had 25 digs and four aces; and Gabi Moulton, who finished with a match-high 34 assists.

Also: Olentangy Orange 3, Hilliard Davidson 0.

BOYS GOLF

Olentangy Liberty, led by Carson Meyer’s runner-up finish, closed second at Tuesday’s New Albany Invitational at New Albany Country Club.

Meyer finished with a 71 — a mark second only to Newark Catholic’s Brian Luft, who shot a 70.

The Patriots, who also counted scores from Jackson Harris (76), Carter Rutherford (79) and Holden Orofino (81), closed with a team total of 307. Dublin Coffman won with a 305 while host New Albany smoothed out the top three with a 308.

GIRLS GOLF

Meadow Tian nabbed medalist honors with a 35 and Olivia Drankwalter was close behind with a 38 as Olentangy picked up a tri-match win over Hilliard Darby and Delaware Hayes on Tuesday at Oakhaven.

The Braves carded a 156 as a team. Darby nabbed runner-up honors with a 165 while Hayes finished third with a 202.

Olentangy Berlin 179, Marysville 189

Mia Raines shot a 35 to earn medalist honors as the Bears improved to 44-16 with a dual-match win against the host Monarchs Tuesday afternoon.

GIRLS SOCCER

Westerville North 1, Delaware Hayes 0; Olentangy Orange 2, Gahanna Lincoln 0.

BOYS SOCCER

Westerville South 4, Big Walnut 1; Olentangy 3, Pickerington North 0.

GIRLS TENNIS

Olentangy Berlin 5, Buckeye Valley 0; Big Walnut 3, Westerville Central 2.

Olentangy’s Katelyn Nichols (21) and Sophia Weithman (3) try and block a shot from Olentangy Berlin’s Avery Callison during Tuesday’s league opener in Lewis Center.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/09/web1_tangy21-3.jpgOlentangy’s Katelyn Nichols (21) and Sophia Weithman (3) try and block a shot from Olentangy Berlin’s Avery Callison during Tuesday’s league opener in Lewis Center. Ben Stroup | The Gazette

By Ben Stroup

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