By Zach Gregory
BELLBROOK — With a win over Oakwood, Thursday night at Bellbrook High School, the Golden Eagle girls volleyball team has now won 16 straight games.
After losing its first two games of the season, Bellbrook has gone over a month without a loss. Not only that, but they have only lost one set in that time.
Bellbrook added three more sets to that list Thursday night, defeating Southwestern Buckeye League rival Oakwood 25-13, 25-22, 25-8.
Bellbrook coach Lynzee Johnson said the team has been improving all season.
“They have gotten a lot better. I still expect better, but that’s a good thing. I don’t want us to peak now, I want us to peak once we hit tournament.”
Bellbrook (16-2, 10-0 SWBL) got out to an early lead over the Jills (9-10, 5-5 SWBL) in the first set and never let them back in it. Oakwood made made it tough for the Golden Eagles in the second set, but the Jills narrowly lost that set and didn’t put up much of a fight in the final set.
“I think Oakwood is way improved. All the teams in our league, the second time around that we’ve played them, have been really improved,” said Johnson. “Their defense is super scrappy. I just think that they don’t have the height to put a ball down yet. I think if they had some hitters, then they would be a really good team.”
Bellbrook junior Abby Crotty finished the game with 11 kills and 10 assists; LeAnna Crockett had four kills and 13 assists; Becca Rogers and Kaitlyn Urbaniak had seven and five kills respectively.
Johnson said that every team is giving Bellbrook a tough fight.
“That’s what I’ve been telling our girls: We have a target on our back until the end of the season is over,” she said. “We expect the best from everyone. I tell them every single game that it’s just a step towards a league championship, and if they want to move on they have to win at each step.”
Although the Golden Eagles are undefeated in the SWBL, they still have a contested match for the league title. Eaton sits at 16-2 overall and 8-1 in the conference.
“Eaton is much improved. We went and watched them play against Fenwick, and I think it’s going to be a battle. We’re going to end up battling for league,” said Johnson.
Bellbrook has four matches left in the season. They have a tri-match Saturday at Tipp City Tippecanoe High School. The Golden Eagles will play the Red Devils and then Kettering Fairmont, starting at 10 a.m. They wrap up the season with a home game against Brookville at 7 p.m. next Tuesday at Bellbrook High School, and a game against the Eagles 7 p.m. next Thursday at Eaton High School.
Johnson did not know what the school record was for wins in a row, but Bellbrook finished last season 21-3 and finished the year on a 14-game streak including two playoff wins before being bounced out of the tournament.
