As Cardinal celebrated its senior night, much more was on the line. A win over Wickliffe on Sept. 26 would mean the Huskies stayed a game back in CVC Valley play, but a loss would create a hill to climb. The Huskies controlled the contest, never trailing, as they won in a sweep. They move to 9-7, while Wickliffe falls to 4-11. With a Berkshire win over Crestwood, the Badgers and Kirtland are tied for first in the CVC Valley, with Cardinal right behind. Cardinal dropped its first four games of the season before winning the next four. Coach Michael Chaffee said the team has grown, but it can continue to improve. “Tonight was a special night,” Chaffee said. “We did a great job with a lot of people playing some slightly different roles. It’s been a process, we split the season in three before the start of the year. There was the non-league season, where we were figuring things out, then there was league play. That’s where we want to work and be at the best for postseason. We’re still a work in progress.” Ali Puruczky had another strong performance with a different lineup because of senior night festivities. Normally a six-rotation player for the Huskies, Puruczky played solely in the front row. Puruczky racked up 12 kills to lead the team. Compared to last year, however, Puruczky has a lot of strong hitters around her. Lizzy Luciano and Natalie Soltis added five kills each, and Morgan Csontos and Lili Toll added three apiece. “It helps me know that I can rely on the other girls,” Puruczky said. “If I’m not having the best game, they’re always there to help me. There also always there emotionally and back me up. I can put all my power into my work and remain confident in my swing.” Toll also finished strongly, with four of her five aces helping push the Huskies to match point. Puruzcky said the Huskies are ready for the second matchups with Kirtland and Berkshire. “Physically, our team doesn’t give up,” Puruczky said. “We could be down, 10-0, and make our way back point by point. All the girls, we have such a great bond and it’s a great feeling when you can be there for each other.” While the offense has been clicking, the defense has also found its footing. Cardinal lacks height up front and in the back row, but it has several strong players in the receive game. Chaffee believes their development will help the Huskies reach their goals. “We’re where teams want to be, controlling their own destiny,” Chaffee said. “There’s big challenges ahead of us, playing all three of those schools again, but we were very competitive with everyone. We learned a lot from Kirtland with two 25-23 sets. What I really like about the team this year is that the kids embrace playing defense. That’s not always a forte but that has translated very well for us.” Wickliffe was led by Kelsey Grubiss, who did a little bit of everything. She had eight kills, four digs and three aces, all of which led the Blue Devils. Wickliffe aims to rebound with a trip to West Geauga on Sept. 30. Cardinal has another crucial CVC Valley contest at Crestwood on Oct. 1.