NORWALK -- Findlay High's volleyball team had a couple of problems Wednesday night in Norwalk's Division I regional semifinals.
The first was obvious. Rocky River Magnificat had a huge height advantage.
The second didn't jump out and grab you, but FHS coach Ryan Shifley noticed it in his team's 25-23, 25-18, 25-14 loss to the Blue Streaks.
"We wanted it really, really bad and at times you could tell that we were trying almost too hard," said Shifley after his team fell in the regional for the second straight year to Magnificat, a state tournament semifinalist in 2007.
"That's a good problem to have, though. I like to have kids that want to win so bad, that they are trying too hard.
"But we weren't poised and composed and controlling the ball on our side of the court. We were just trying to get the score. These teams, Magnificat, (Toledo) St. Ursula are very good at controlling the ball and getting a good swing. I think we were a bit antsy at times."
That's where the first obvious thing -- Magnificat's height -- came into play.
The Blue Streaks' starting lineup included five players that were 6-foot or taller. Findlay, which finishes the year 22-4, countered with 5-11 Morgan Winans, 5-9 Krystan Krucki and Kristen Davidson and Becca Feczer, Hannah Gephart and Kayce Krucki, who are all 5-8.
"We knew they would hit over us and block well," Shifley said. "We worked a lot on adjusting to that in practice. We moved up and tried to get solid touches out of our blocks, so we could play the ball and control it on our side.
"We did it off and on, but not consistently enough that we could win."
Findlay seemed down-and-out in the first game as they trailed 21-14.
But Feczer and freshman Kayce Krucki pounded back-to-back kills. Magnificat's Brittney Balser, a 6-2 junior who has verbally committed to Duke and had nine kills, stemmed the Trojans' comeback with a kill. Kayce Krucki, who had nine kills, came up with another kill and fellow FHS freshman Emma Schleucher came off the bench to serve two straight aces. Add a Kayce Krucki kill and the Trojans were within 22-20.
Balser recorded a Magnificat kill and 6-1 Danielle McQuade, who is headed to Tiffin University, followed suit. A net serve gave Findlay the ball and Davidson, who had four blocks and four kills, blocked McQuade and the Blue Streaks were called for being in the net as the Trojans got within 24-23. But McQuade ended it with a kill.
Shifley shifted his lineup a bit in the second game and put 6-1 freshman Allison Twining, who had six kills, on the front row.
"We wanted a little more height on the outside, plus she was beating the ball yesterday in practice," Shifley said. "Krystan wasn't doing a horrible job on the outside, but I felt we needed a little more height."
The second game was close until Magnificat, who will play in the 2 p.m. Saturday final against Amherst Steele (3-1 winner over Toledo St. Ursula), went on an 8-2 run to open a 20-14 advantage. The Blue Streaks got a couple of Balser kills late to put the game away.
McQuade, who pounded 13 kills, and 5-11 senior Michelle Chakirelis opened the third game with Magnificat kills. Then Micaela Castele served eight straight points to put the Streaks in control. Findlay managed to get within seven points at one time, but Magnificat was on the way to pushing its record to 23-3.
"We made too many unforced errors on our side of the net. It wasn't really what they were doing, we just weren't controlling some things on our side of the net," Shifley said. "We would cover (their hits) pretty well, but then not transition back. You can't stand in a big clump.
"But no excuses, we just got outplayed tonight.
"It's a hard pill to swallow for my seniors, as usual. It's a hard pill for me to swallow. Coming into the year, I thought we were a legitimate contender to play for state and two years running they have been. From what I know of, there hasn't been a team in recent history that has won two district titles in a row.
"The girls are starting a precedent a little bit and maybe it'll teach our young girls how to not just get out of the sectional, but get a little farther."
And when they get there, Shifley hopes to have at least one problem on his hands.
That his girls want to win so bad, that they try very hard. Maybe even too hard.
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