McNicholas rallied after dropping the opening set to beat Fenwick 3-1 at Lakota East, capturing the program’s second straight regional championship and denying the Falcons a second consecutive trip to state.
“It was a great match,” Fenwick coach Tyler Conley said. “We knew it was going to come down to execution, and unfortunately, we didn’t serve the ball the way that we needed to. That was the big difference.”
A strong start, then missed chances
Fenwick (23-5) opened the afternoon with crisp passing and steady swings, taking the first set 26-24 — with the confidence of a team that had navigated every challenge in the Greater Catholic League Coed.
But the tide began to turn midway through the second, as McNicholas (20-7) found its rhythm from the service line and capitalized on Fenwick’s miscues.
“We missed 16 serves,” Conley said. “From 13-10 on in that third set, we missed five serves. They were out of system that whole start to that set, and when you give them an easy side-out, it’s a confidence builder. We had them back on their heels.”
The Rockets seized momentum and never gave it back, winning three straight sets to clinch a sixth consecutive victory and advance to the state semifinals against Meadowbrook on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. at Wright State.
Pride amid heartbreak
The loss marked the end of a season built on resilience and renewal for Fenwick, which graduates a group of five seniors in Julia Cranford, Caroline Hinker, Kenzie Williamson, Sienna Polomsky and Paige Carmel.
“The thing that I’m most proud of is that we had a little two-year dip, and our seniors were a part of putting us back on the map,” Conley said. “They set the expectation that we’re going to be in the regional finals, we’re going to be in state every single year, and we’re going to be a program to contend with.”
Fenwick’s senior core — defined by toughness and leadership — leaves behind a deep and talented roster primed to reload for 2026.
“We lost a good chunk of leadership,” Conley said. “But we’ve got a whole lot of talent coming back. Some of those juniors and sophomores are going to have to assume big roles. That’s a void that’ll be left, for sure.”
A matchup worthy of a state stage
Both coaches agreed Saturday’s clash could have easily been for a state title contest.
Conley called it “probably the state championship right there,” while McNicholas coach Darlene Tierney echoed that sentiment.
“It was a battle,” Tierney said. “Fenwick is a tremendous team — very well-coached, very polished and with a lot of talent. This could have gone either way.”
Fenwick’s season ended with the respect of peers, the admiration of its fan base and the validation that the Falcons are once again among Ohio’s elite.
“We came up a little bit short today,” Conley said, “but I’m proud of my kids — proud of the fight they showed all year long. We were a better team at the end of the year than we were at the beginning. And that’s what you always want.”
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