Sheridan took down Chillicothe 26-24, 25-21, 20-25, 25-14 on Tuesday, October 27, ending the Cavaliers’ postseason run in a Division III district semifinal. For three sets, Chillicothe truly hung tough, looking like they might seize all the momentum in a do-or-die situation, but Sheridan’s star middle hitter Mauriana O’Brien had other ideas, completely taking over in the crucial fourth set to seal the win for the Generals.
O’Brien’s Dominance Proves Too Much in Close Sets
The first set was a back and forth slugfest, a real sign of what was to come. Chillicothe grabbed a 13-12 lead, but O’Brien went on an absolute tear, hammering four straight kills to power a 5-0 run that put Sheridan up 17-13. Not to be outdone, the Cavaliers, behind Marisa Stiteler and Evelyn Hamman, ripped off six straight points themselves to snatch a 19-17 edge. It was tight all the way to 22-21, and even tied at 24-24, but an attack error gave Sheridan the lead, and O’Brien delivered a kill to clinch the two-point win.
In the second set, Sheridan jumped out fast to an 11-4 lead. You’d think that would be it, but Chillicothe clawed their way back, cutting the deficit to 22-21 late in the game. But just like before, O’Brien stepped up when it mattered most, finishing things off with two consecutive kills. That put Chillicothe’s season on life support. Sheridan coach Emma Taylor was absolutely right when she said, “Mauri has truly been unstoppable this season. She is incredible on all sides of the ball. When she gets to the back row, you might think you get to breathe. But then she’s serving and she gets us a couple of aces back there. She’s just great. It’s no secret that we’re feeding her the ball. She’s dominating, honestly. I’m insanely proud of her and the year she’s had.” It’s tough to argue with that after watching her close out two sets like that.
Hamman Fights Back, Cavaliers Reflect on an Incredible Season
Evelyn Hamman, the District 14 Player of the Year and the program’s all-time kill leader, was not going down without a fight. She threw a serious counter in the third set, leading Chillicothe to leads of 14-9, 16-12, and 21-16. Fittingly, the Cavaliers took the set 25-20, with Hamman delivering the final kill. Chillicothe coach Leslie Hamman recognized her star, saying, “Chillicothe is very good and Evelyn is one of the best players we’ve played all year.” Even Sheridan’s coach Emma Taylor was “very impressed with how we defended her and how we were able to get some really big stops” against Hamman.
While the loss means the end of Chillicothe’s postseason run, what a season it was for the 18-7 Cavaliers. Coach Leslie Hamman put it best: “The girls fought hard. It’s been an incredible season. This team has broken multiple records and every time we step onto the floor, it seems like something good happens. More than anything, we’re just sad it’s over. We’ve enjoyed every moment.” It’s always tough when a season ends, especially one that breaks records, but the Cavaliers have a lot to be proud of. Meanwhile, Sheridan (20-5) advances, and with O’Brien playing like that, who knows how far they can go.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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