Volleyball Recap: Kirtland Falls Despite Big Games from Bria Golem and Willa Gordon

After flying high against Conneaut on Saturday, Kirtland came back down to earth. The Hornets fell just short of the Chagrin Falls Tigers by a score of 3-2 on Tuesday. The Hornets were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Tigers apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in August of 2024.

Kirtland took Chagrin Falls into a fifth set but they suffered a heartbreaking three-point loss. The match finished with set scores of 25-16, 22-25, 21-25, 25-16, 15-12.

Bria Golem

Digs

09/09/25 @ Chagrin Falls	29
09/06/25 vs Conneaut	23
09/03/25 vs Madison	18
08/30/25 @ Lutheran West	32
08/28/25 @ West Geauga	18
08/26/25 vs Edgewood	14

Willa Gordon and Bria Golem certainly did their best on Tuesday to avoid the loss. Gordon had 14 digs and three aces, while Golem had 29 digs and four assists. Golem has been hot, having posted 14 or more digs the last six times she's played.

Kirtland moved to 6-2 with that loss, which also ended their three-game winning streak. As for Chagrin Falls, they are on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-3 record this season.

We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Kirtland is set to take on their familiar foe Wickliffe at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, Chagrin Falls will face off against rival Crestwood at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.