By Mike Williamson – Sun Times News
The Chelsea volleyball team continued its impressive late-season surge, capturing the Dansville Invitational championship over the weekend and following it up with a dominant and emotional Senior Night sweep of Ypsilanti.
The Bulldogs showed grit and consistency throughout the Dansville tournament, overcoming early adversity and finishing the day as champions. Chelsea split pool play with Colon and Charlotte before sweeping Dansville to secure first place in its pool.
Once bracket play began, the Bulldogs found another gear. They cruised past Portland St. Patrick 2–0 in the quarterfinals, battled past Manchester in three sets in the semifinals, and finished the day by sweeping Dansville once again in straight sets to bring home the tournament title.
Singer and Minyard Power Championship Run
Senior Ally Singer had one of the best tournaments of her career, pounding out 43 kills to go with 8 digs in a standout performance. Melayna Minyard was equally dominant, finishing with 38 kills, 9 aces, and 29 digs as Chelsea’s offense overwhelmed opponents all day.
Mia Kuboushek added 21 kills, Phia Stanavich chipped in 10, and Leah Helquist contributed 9 kills and 5 blocks in the middle.
The Bulldogs’ back row was superb, with Kiley Ellis (38 digs) and Ava Skrypec (28 digs) combining for 15 aces and consistent serve-receive play. Sasha Henriksen added 17 digs and 7 aces, while setter Lexi Cummer ran the offense with precision, collecting 131 assists, 8 kills, 5 aces, and 35 digs.
Seniors Shine in Sweep Over Ypsilanti
Just days later, Chelsea returned home for an emotional Senior Night, honoring eight Bulldogs who have been cornerstones of the program’s success. The team delivered a statement performance, sweeping Ypsilanti 25–12, 25–14, 25–5.
Senior Bella Radomski led the way with a career-high 7 kills, while Ella Root added 9 kills and Ally Singer tallied 6 kills and 6 digs.
Lexi Cummer dished out 20 assists, along with 2 aces and 7 digs, continuing her strong play at setter. Mia Kuboushek and Leah Helquist controlled the middle throughout the match, while Sasha Henriksen and Lyla Dabbs anchored the back row with a combined 8 digs and 7 aces.
Chelsea closed the final set on a 15–3 run, sealing a perfect night for the seniors in front of a packed home crowd.
A Bittersweet Victory
While the win was one to celebrate, it came with heavy hearts for the Chelsea volleyball family.
Coach Toney Cummer shared that “one of our devoted fans and community members, Tom Lewis—known to all of us as ‘Mr. Tom’—passed away the day before, so the win was bittersweet. Mr. Tom was a huge supporter of Chelsea volleyball and the athletic program as a whole. He attended every home match and treated every player as if they were the biggest star on the team. The girls adored him and developed a really close bond with him over the years.”
The Bulldogs dedicated their Senior Night performance to Mr. Tom, whose presence and encouragement meant so much to the team and the Chelsea community.
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