Martins Ferry Volleyball Trio Reaches Milestones

MARTINS FERRY - The Martins Ferry volleyball team has enjoyed a banner campaign so far, winning its first 15 matches - 10 by clean sweeps - and is ranked No. 3 in the latest Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

The Purple Rider seniors recently won their 62nd career game, a four-year span that also includes the program's first-ever OVAC championship - they captured the Class 3A title last fall.

Along with team success comes individual success.

A trio of players - seniors Giana Chirpas and SJ Koller, along with junior Olivia Harkness - have all reached lofty milestones in 2026. All three have started since their freshman campaigns.

Chirpas, an Ohio University softball commit and standout basketball player, registered her 1,000th career early in the season, a personal goal of hers from the start.

"It has been a goal of mine since my freshman year," Chirpas admitted. "I knew that no player had ever done that at Martins Ferry, so I wanted to be the first. It was pretty exciting."

Like good players do, they spread the wealth.

"I wouldn't be able to do what I do without the work of my teammates. The digs and the assists are really important," she added.

Koller, who disregards her body at times to keep the ball from hitting the floor, reached the 2,000 mark for digs in a recent match.

"I wanted to get 500 my freshman year, so I guess 2,000 was a goal back then, as well," she noted. "It's all about committing to get the ball however I can, even if that means diving. You've got to be committed to putting your body on the floor."

She said familiarity has helped this team.

"We've played with each other for so long that our communication is what we are the best at," she said.

Harkness recorded her 2,000th assist in a recent match, which is pretty outstanding for halfway through her junior season.

"I've been playing club (volleyball) since a very young age," she said. "That's really got me into playing volleyball."

She said this team is special because "we all have a really good bond. We're super close to each other as friends and that helps us when we face adversity."

Martins Ferry has already clinched the top seed in the Buckeye 8 South and will meet the Buckeye 8 North winner - Beaver Local or East Liverpool - on Wednesday at the ECO Center at 6:30 p.m.. The Purple Riders also hold down the No. 1 spot in OVAC Class 4A, with that tournament in the near future.