Southwest Christian awaits them in semifinals
As the pressure of the playoffs intensifies, the St. Clair Cyclones have not only stormed past two opponents to reach the semi-finals, they’ve yet to even drop a set in doing so.
On October 20, the Lady Cyclones channeled the kinetic energy from the home crowd to kennel the JWP Bulldogs in straight sets (25-21, 25-13, and 25-16). Though many of the athletes were on a first-name name basis before tipoff, those friendly faces were soon wiped away in anticipation for supremacy on the court. St. Clair utilized a spirited message of BTB or “Beat the Bulldogs” as a rallying cry throughout the match.
The opening set brought immediate tension as JWP built an early 8-3 lead, catching St. Clair off guard; however, their resilience kept them within striking distance. The demolition duo of Blount and DeMartini helped erase the deficit with a series of crucial kills to tie the set at 12. The two strikers combined for 23 kills on the night. St. Clair soon took control of the set with a four-point run sparked by the incredible defensive efforts of Blount and Mathiowetz. Credit to the Bulldogs for an opening salvo to stagger the Cyclones, but they failed to withstand the returning haymakers by DeMartini, who capped off the 25-21 victory in Set 1 with thudding finality.
Set 2 had the Cyclones hitting their stride, transforming their attack into a relentless yet balanced onslaught that the Bulldogs struggled to contain. Despite JWP’s efforts to establish a counterattack, St. Clair deployed kills from all angles to ignite a devastating 13-2 run. DeMartini stood out with her blend of power and control at the net, but Jobe, Hinze, Blount, and St. Peter recorded kills as well. The momentum was fully on the Cyclones’ side, and they cruised to a dominant 25-13 win.
Leading two sets to none, the Cyclones’ relied on the continued barrage by Blount and DeMartini to ensure the sweep was completed. Blount was particularly dominant, recording multiple kills in rapid succession to reach 10 on the night and a total of 13 for the match. Strong serving—including aces by Meng and Quast—pushed the lead past ten points. Up by 12, Breezee, Oachs, & Ireland entered the fray, leaving a full squad of seniors in to end the match. The Bulldogs battled to stay alive late, but a service error ended the set 25-16, giving the Cyclones a clean sweep.
Though the start of the match had its dramatic moments, the Cyclones quickly persevered to implement their overwhelming offensive attack toward victory. Their Quarterfinal matchup had them face off against the four-seed Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Buccaneers which coincidentally kept the BTB (Beat Those Bucs) battle cry alive for another go on the court.
On October 23rd, the Lady Cyclones delivered a captivating performance in hostile territory to pull off the road upset against the WEM Buccaneers in straight sets (25-14, 27-25, 25-18). Though some may not call a five-seed defeating a four-seed an “upset.” Despite both teams entering the contest on a hot streak, it was the Cyclones who executed a high-intensity game plan, capitalizing on early momentum and relying on clutch senior leadership to close out the thriller.
Starting out the match slow and sluggish had been a recurring problem for the Cyclones throughout the season; however, they silenced any concerns early, beginning the match with arguably their best first set of the season. St. Clair executed a perfect start, immediately establishing a four-point swing and rolling to an 11-3 lead, forcing two quick WEM timeouts. The combination of Blount’s fury on the attack (5 kills in the set) and the impenetrable wall of Meng and St. Peter created a fast and furious formula for a convincing 25-14 victory.
After getting cold-cocked in the first set, the Buccaneers adjusted their strategy and exploited several unforced errors by the Cyclones to force a tightly contested battle in the second set. Multiple ties and lead changes constantly put each team on the defensive and each fan section brought a sense of urgency with each point. The WEM section had a particular knack for highlighting St. Clair’s’ mistakes with cleverly-worded taunts. Blount and DeMartini were once again formidable firepower as their explosive kills broke through the Buccaneer’s defense, and even caused a corner official to scuttle out of the way. Blount in particular was a near unstoppable force with 20 kills on the night. Tied 25-all, her 13th kill followed by a block by St. Peter clinched an exhaustingly hard-fought 27-25 win for the Cyclones.
Despite the fatigue of the nail-biting second set, St. Clair dug deep to close out the match in Set 3. Blount continued her relentless assault, breaking the 20-kill mark while St. Peter and Meng soared high to deny and deflect shots at the net…the former even solo-ed a few attacks herself. A late run by WEM kept the set interesting at 19-18; however, St. Clair refused to allow another point and a perfectly placed corner shot by Hinze capped off a 7-point run to decide the set and the match 25-18. As the home crowd hung their heads in defeat, the visitors roared with excitement and many Cyclones wiped away tears of joy as they searched for their loved ones.
A stunning set of performances by the Cyclones has them primed for a semi-final matchup against the top seeded Southwest Christian Stars on October 28. It’s important to note that St. Clair (5 seed) has disrupted the expected “chalk” result of seeds 1-4 making the semi-finals, making their presence known to any who dares to challenge them. Their high-powered offense, persistent defense, and unwavering will has brought them to tremendous success in this 2025 campaign; however, there is still work to be done before they may rest.
