OKEMOS - With the help and leadership from their seniors, the Okemos volleyball team swept East Lansing, 3-0, on Thursday, October 13.

It was the Chiefs’ second straight home-sweep, following the win against Lansing Everett.

Okemos and East Lansing stepped on the court with only one conference loss so far, and both were to Holt.

The match decided the team that came in second in the CAAC Blue, which was Okemos and its five seniors.

It was a tough start to the match, with energy loaded on both sides.

The Chiefs, with the support of the home crowd, won the close first set, 25-22, on a block by Sage Vanalstine and Nishi Patel that made the ball touch the floor on East Lansing’s side.

Okemos wouldn’t allow anymore close sets, as they kept the
Trojans to 14 points and reached 25 on a set by Natalie Thom followed by senior Shania Miller’s kill.

Each set became easier for the Chiefs.

With starters and secondary players on the court, Okemos kept East Lansing’s points even lower.

Junior starter Bre DeLoye spiked the final point into the East Lansing side’s floor to win set three, 25-12.

“It was a really uplifting night I think. Sometimes senior night can be emotional, which it was, but then I thought we rebounded very quickly. East Lansing played very well in those first two sets. They kept the ball in play, they served tough. I thought we did a good job of serve-receive and then distributing the ball to a lot of different hitters, so we had a lot of kids who were in the kill category tonight,” Okemos head coach Jamie Ianni said.

The seniors were honored before the game with gifts from the team and coaches, and also after the game with a cake.

Senior Ryan Castle, who had to cheer the team from the sidelines during some time this season due to a health condition, said she feels good to be fully back.

"It feels really good to be back in the gym everyday. It feels good to actually be able to play and then help my team on the court, it's been really fun. Then we're doing really good, like the past two games we've had this week have been really really good, good energy as a team, really good. We're putting the ball away and passing really good and just finishing the game," Castle said.

Having taken second place in the league during regular season, the Chiefs will host the first game of the CAAC Blue tournament on Tuesday.

The Chiefs will play Lansing Eastern at 6 p.m.