Westlake Outlasts Roosevelt On Corps of Big Contributions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>WESTLAKE def. ROOSEVELT 3-2</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Demons, 11-11 overall, gutted out a big win over Roosevelt as this match was back and forth all evening as the teams traded set victories over the first four frames. Westlake prevailed by a 15-11 score in set five. Westlake advances on the backs of a true collective effort through the following contributions throughout their rotation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913755' first='Hailey' last='Toth']</strong> - 2029 | OH<br>Toth led the team with 18 kills and four aces, while also adding five digs. The 5'9 sophomore stepped up in a big way to lead three players in double-digit kills and well ahead of her 1.8 k/s average for the season. Her success is best achieved when she can build momentum and get on time in the air to contact at the peak of her jump to challenge the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gianna Della Vella</strong> - 2027 | RS<br>Della Vella also had a big match with a season high 17 kills to help balance what Toth was creating with her arm. Averaging 1.7 k/s in 2026, the senior pin was very efficient a .433 on a 56% kill rate. She also added six digs. Utilized on both pins, she is an athletic attacker who also increases her production when on time in the air. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='846879' first='Leah' last='Navratil']</strong> - 2028 | OH<br>Westlake's offensive leader contributed 10 kills in the win. She also picked up 11 digs for the double-double effort. Limited in her production offensively and relative to her season standard, she still managed to produce as the Demons prevailed with great balance across their three primary pin hitters. The junior is once again averaging just over three kills per set. In over half of their matches in 2026, she has provided double figure kills as she can put some good pace on the ball with range in where she can drive it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='793783' first='Emma' last='Borman']</strong> - 2027 | DS/L<br>The senior picked up a team high 36 digs to keep them in the match by making big plays and frustrating their opponent throughout the contest. She has been doing it all season with an increased effort to 28.1 d/m in 2026, ahead of her 22.5 d/m from a season ago. Her final two varsity seasons included over 1,000 digs total, including a career high of 50 digs in a single match back in September. She maintains good balance to be able to use a quick first step reaction for range and control.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Janie Jensen</strong> - 2028 | S<br>Splitting setting duties in her first varsity season, Jensen was the primary distributor in this contest as she dished a career high 41 assists to help balance the Demon's offense across their top three arms. Her effort helped produce some of the biggest offensive efforts of the season from Toth and Della Vella in this marathon win. On 344 total assists and a 4.6 a/s average in 2026, her impact has been much greater in the latter part of the season. Since her previous career high of 30 assists back in late September, Jensen has averaged 6.7 a/s. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Westlake, the #19 seed in the DIII Northeast 5 sectional, will next face Wooster. With this type of team effort, they could find themselves advancing once again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->