Beaver Local’s Sydney McNear spikes against East Liverpool’s Kamryn Yanni and Presley Jones (right) on Thursday. (The Review/Michael Burich)

CALCUTTA — East Liverpool volleyball coach Dan McKinstry, the winningest coach in Ohio high school history, has seen a lot of good Beaver Local volleyball teams coached by Sarah Lowe over the years.

He thinks this might be her best.

“They’re more diverse,” McKinstry said. “(Lowe) has four really good hitters and Bria Boyd is a really good setter. The libero is very good. They’re deeper and she can bring kids off the bench that can serve. I think this is her 17th year and it’s one of her best ones.”

The Beavers improved to 10-0 and swept the regular season series in six games from the Potters with the 25-17, 25-21, 25-19 victory on Thursday during the Volley for the Cure match at Beaver Local High School.

“Last year towards the end of the season we still had not beaten (East Liverpool) in three years, so when we beat them last year at the end of the season it was awesome and I still get the same feeling every time we beat them,”

Beaver Local senior Eva McKnight said.

Beaver Local has not lost a set this season and that’s an especially good thing for Boyd who is working all rotations this season for the first time in her career, meaning she never leaves the floor.

“It’s pretty grueling, but I love it,” Boyd said.

Boyd had 30 assists, three kills, four aces and three digs in the win. The Beavers, who were just outside of the top 10 in the Div. IV state coaches poll, are in first place in the OVAC Class 4A standings but the team has bigger goals and just might get them this season.

“Every match, no matter who our opponent is, we worry about, but our main goal is get to the regionals and that’s something that has never been done in school history,” Boyd said.

Outside of shaking off some early nerves due to the emotional nature of the Volley for the Cure ceremony between the junior varsity and varsity matches, the Beavers were on point throughout the match.

In the first game, McKnight, who had nine kills, came through with several aggressive attacks at the net late to set the tone for the rest of the evening.

“I knew I needed to focus on hitting my spots and I need to work on hitting lines more to get some more points off that, but overall I think everyone on the team did really great,” McKnight said.

Other Beaver Local standouts included Addie Thurik with five kills and seven digs, Giada Williams with seven kills and two blocks, Karsyn Bowyer with two kills and 17 digs along with Lily Schrieber with six kills, three aces and 12 digs. Perru Gilson added seven digs and Sydney McNear had six kills.

East Liverpool fell to 7-3. For the Potters, Kamryn Yanni had 22 assists, while Presley Jones had seven kills. Kendall Martin had two aces and 10 kills, while Ava Green had eight kills. Hailey Board had two blocks and Ayla Riggle had two aces.

McKinstry said one of the biggest things that have plagued the Potters so far is serve reception.

“We are not receiving serve at a high level,” McKinstry said. “When we did receive the ball at a high level tonight and put pressure on them we were there. But there were too many times where we didn’t. Each of the games they had a run of four or five points that created separation. We battled hard and I’m not disappointed in the effort but we are not getting enough quality swings on serve reception.”

Game notes

• Beaver Local athletic director Josh Sigler and East Liverpool athletic director Jason Duke came up with a plan two years ago for all Beaver and Potter contests in all sports and at all levels to be played in one week in the fall. Through Thursday, Beaver Local has won every rivalry week contest at the junior high, freshman, junior varsity and varsity level this week. Only the varsity football game today and the junior varsity football game on Saturday remain.

• Beaver Local and East Liverpool had more than 200 raffle baskets donated by local businesses and individuals at the Volley for a Cure event. Total proceeds will be determined later but all of the money went to support Beaver Local family member Patty Congo and others who have been affected by breast cancer in the community.

It also marked the 15th anniversary of the founding of the East Liverpool-Beaver Local Volley for Cure match.

“This evening meant a lot to our family and a lot to our school district,” Lowe said. “We had a chance to honor a member of our Beaver Local family and everything the Buchheit family has done for us over the last 15 years. We paid our respects and honor to Jennifer Buchheit who helped us start this 15 years ago. That meant so much for us.”

• There are three undefeated teams in Columbiana County this season but they will not play each other. Lowe said she has great relationships with Crestview and Columbiana coaches, but the regular season schedules just don’t align.

“All summer long we do a lot of things with Crestview,” Lowe said. “We play in a summer league with them. Coach Alisha Auer and myself partner up to do a summer team camp in the offseason. I work with (Columbiana) coach Jennifer Martin and the two of us trade off a lot of things and talk through a lot stuff. With us being in the OVAC and the Buckeye 8, we’re just unable to schedule those two schools.”

Columbiana is in the OVAC but is in Class 3A. Lowe said playing an OVAC team in a lower division doesn’t benefit the Beavers in the point system, especially since Class 4A is loaded this season. For instance, East Liverpool, who routinely makes the final four in Class 4A, is sitting fifth and will have to do a lot of work to get back into the top four this season.

• Beaver Local hosts Indian Creek on Monday. East Liverpool hosts Harrison Central the same day.

• In jayvee action, Beaver Local won 25-10, 25-15. Macie Bourne had nine kills and six digs. Lean Schrieber had two kills, two aces, two digs and 11 assists. Madison Poppelriter had five kills. For East Liverpool, Addie Smith had five kills, Koli Spencer had four kills and Ella Gunning had eight assists.

• Beaver Local won the freshman match, 25-10, 25-6. For the Beavers, Katie Miller had five kills, while Gianna Congrove had 13 assists and three digs. Makayla Jungfleish had two kills, five aces and six digs. Lainey Smith had two kills