Muskie volleyball falls on senior night

 The Fighting Muskie volleyball team honored two seniors on Oct. 25 before falling to the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders 3-1 in the Rec Center at home.

   McKensie Smith and Molly Scholl were honored before the game by receiving framed jerseys during their four-years at Muskingum.

   "They're amazing. (It's) Everything I've ever wanted and it's sad to see it go, it really is," said Smith. While laughing, Smith added, "I'm going to have too much time on my hands."

   Smith and junior Sarah Krauss led the team with 8 kills on the night.

   The Purple Raiders stormed out to a quick 2-0 lead winning the first two games 25-13 and 26-16, respectively.

   "I'm glad we can adjust and bounce back after a loss," Scholl said about the game. "It's always nice to know that you can improve your game somewhere along to get a win and show adjustments and improvement."

   Head Coach Elizabeth Zicha stressed the importance for her team to get off to a quick start, citing the fear of error as a reason for the slow start.

   "It took us too long to get started. (We) played pretty well in game three, game one and two just takes us too long to get started," Zicha explained. "We're just too tentative, too afraid to make mistakes."

   Not to be swept in straight sets on senior night, the Fighting Muskie underclassmen stepped up when it most mattered, winning game three 25-22.

   The Purple Raiders came back in game four, winning 25-21, and heading back to Alliance with the win.

   Giving fans a glimpse of the future, freshman Capreece Irby got her first real chance in a varsity game and seized the opportunity.

   "It was my first game where I finally felt like everything came together," explained Irby. "We came together as a team and we all played hard and we all played together."

   Zicha explained Irby's performance as, ‘finally learning to play the game.'

   "You get to see what we get to see in practice," said Zicha.

   Senior Scholl ended her final home game with 14 digs.

   "As a coach, with your seniors you say, ‘did they get it?'" said Zicha in reference to both Scholl and Smith. "They got it. You see how much better they are."

   Though they lost, Zicha is excited with what the future hold for this young team.

  "After Molly (Scholl) and McKensie (Smith), I'm playing mostly freshman and sophomores," said Zicha. "They (underclassmen) have athletic ability and quickness; they just got to learn to play the game."

   With the loss, the Muskies fell to 12-14 (2-6 OAC). Mount Union moved to 21-6 (7-2).

   Just four days later, the Muskies traveled to Baldwin-Wallace to finish off the season, where they fell 3-0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-13). The Muskies finished the season 12-15 (2-7).

   Despite the loss, the Fighting Muskies clinched the eighth and final spot in the OAC Tournament. The ladies will travel to top seed Heidelberg to face the Student Princes to kick off the tourney.