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Carroll Chargers cap perfect season with sweep of Plainfield
INDIANAPOLIS - Coming off a state championship and returning nearly their entire roster, the Carroll Chargers knew they were going to get their opponents best shot every single night this season.
And not only did the Chargers embrace that challenge, they dominated it.
Carroll won its second-straight state title on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, sweeping Plainfield 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-15) to cap a perfect 37-0 campaign.
“It’s been our goal all season, and the girls knew that every team was going to be ready to come after them,” Carroll head coach Pandy Sinish said. “They not only showed up today ready to play, but they showed up every match all year long ready to work and ready to get better to get to this moment.”
It was Carroll’s second volleyball title in its fourth appearance in the title game.
The Chargers became just the 10th team in the four-class era to finish a season unbeaten and fifth in Class 4A.
They have won 50-straight matches, and dropped just four sets all year with a schedule that featured the other top-6 ranked teams in Class 4A and Class 3A state champion Roncalli.
IHSAA Class 4A State Championship
Carroll def. Plainfield, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-15)
“This year we had a lot of people coming for us,” senior Bailey Sinish, who also won the Mental Attitude Award, said. “They knew it was Carroll and they had to bring their ‘A’ game. We were always working hard, and stayed focused every match. It was really cool just to be with this group of girls and accomplish what we did.”
Carroll relied on its big match experience to take control early on Saturday night.
Trailing 6-5 early in the first set, Carroll used an 8-0 run to go up seven and never looked back.
Senior setter Sophia Gisslen said having the experience of being in the state championship match a year ago helped the Chargers get settled in.
“We understood the pressure and we knew what the environment was going to be like,” Gisslen said. “We were able to settle in and know it is just another game of volleyball.”
Set two had four early lead changes and nine ties until it was 12-12.
But three kills from Bailey Sinish, along with kills from Lola Sasse and Sarah Stegall pushed the lead to five and established control for the Chargers. They never looked back.
Sinish (11 digs) and Stegall finished with 17 kills each to lead the Chargers. Addi Shippy added seven and Elli Oskey had six.
The Chargers hit .358 as a team, a new Class 4A three-set championship match record.
“I never know where I am going to go because I trust all my hitters and just want to allow them to do their thing,” Gisslen, who had 42 assists, said. “I am so thankful to have such an amazing offense where I can run anybody and it’s a great feeling as a setter to know that I can trust all our hitters to put it away.”
Carroll capped off the victory with by controlling the third set, never trailing and hitting a robust .515 as a team.
Plainfield, making its first State Finals appearance, finished 29-6 – a 17-win improvement from a year ago. It was a memorable year that saw them since their first sectional title since 2004 and first ever regional and semi-state titles.
Audrey Utterback led Plainfield with 14 kills and 11 digs, and Marley VanWanzeele had seven kills.
Taylor Donovan had 10 digs and Charlee Groninger had 26 assists.
While they graduate some key pieces, Utterback, VanWanzeele and Groninger are among the returners next year.
“The hardest thing right now is losing these seniors,” Plainfield head coach Lori Pax said. “I couldn’t be prouder of them. They got us to this point. We’ve got some great players coming back and you’ll see us again.”
Along with their hitting prowess, Carroll got 13 digs from Cala Haffner and 10 from Hayden Finefrock.
It was a perfect ending to a memorable year, highlighted by the first ever outdoor volleyball game in state history in late August, and then ending with Saturday’s title.
It was the perfect send off to a special senior class, that has been playing together since seventh grade and helped raise the level of Carroll volleyball to new heights.
“It’s been surreal,” Gisslen said. “Everything we were able to accomplish this year, I feel like we really made a name for ourselves. I think we did build a community, from the football game to being two-time state champions, I think we got a lot of attention on us and I think we handled it well.”
Class 4A State Championship Records
Hitting Percentage: .358 by Carroll (Fort Wayne)
Bailey Sinish of Carroll named Mental Attitude Award recipient
Following the match, Bailey Sinish of Carroll High School was announced as the recipient of the Mental Attitude Award by the IHSAA Executive Committee.
Bailey has received Academic Honors with Distinction for her effort in the classroom during her sophomore and junior years. She’s a member of Carroll’s National Honor Society and Enlightened Club. Bailey is also active in the community, regularly volunteering through her church’s youth group.
Bailey has received All-District, All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State recognition for her play on the court. She was named a Max Preps Junior All-American and has been a four-year starter for the Chargers. She holds Carroll school records for kills in a single match (29), kills in a season (540), and career Kills (1,791 and counting). She is also a track & field athlete and has placed at the state meet in High Jump twice.
She is the daughter of Mike and Pandy Sinish of Fort Wayne, IN and plans to pursue studies in either Educational or Pre-Veterinarian at Indiana University Indianapolis.
The Mental Attitude Award is annually presented to a senior nominated by her principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability during her four years of high school.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Carroll High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Bailey Sinish.
IHSAA’s Champion of Education Award, presented by Ivy Tech Community College
This award recognizes teachers and faculty who go above and beyond to challenge students to reach their full potential. As an organization that emphasizes keeping education at the forefront of high school athletics, the IHSAA is proud to shine a light on two honorees in this year’s class. On behalf of Ivy Tech Community College, presenting sponsors of the IHSAA Champion of Education Award, the IHSAA will award $250 to the classroom of each recipient.
Kayli Greener is a First-Grade teacher at Huntertown Elementary and an active, invested member of the Northwest Allen County community. A former Carroll Volleyball athlete, Kayli has continued to pour into the program by coaching, keeping stats, and volunteering at countless home matches over the years. In the classroom, she is intentional about building meaningful relationships with her students, encouraging each one to grow with confidence and reach their full potential!
Patrick Cavanaugh teaches Social Studies at Plainfield High School. Pat has brought history to life for generations of Plainfield students, using his energy, expertise, and passion for teaching to help students truly connect with the past in meaningful ways and understand its relevance in the world today. During his time at Plainfield, Pat has coached basketball, tennis, and baseball - always championing the growth and success of his student-athletes. As he prepares to retire at the end of this school year, his impact and influence will continue to shape Plainfield for years to come!
