YOUNGSTOWN For the fourth straight year, the Salem volleyball team is taking home a district championship after defeating Hubbard in four games, 26-24, 16-25, 25-20, 25-18.

Despite winning a title in each of her four years of high school, Amy Scullion still summed up the feeling in one word. "Awesome," she said.

"There's no other way to describe it right now."

Scullion had 23 kills to pace Salem.

It was a result that Salem head coach Don Conser could feel coming earlier in the day.

"For some reason today, all day, I had a real calm feeling," Conser said. "I was just like, 'We're going to win, so theres no use being nervous,' but I was once I got (to the gym). But I think the girls handled it very well."

During the championship run, they might not have faced an opponent as strong as the Hubbard Eagle team they faced last night. Hubbard came in to the match undefeated and ranked second in the state. Earlier in the season, Hubbard handed Salem one of its three losses this year. Although Salem was short-handed in that match, Salem was eager to get revenge.

"They wanted to prove the last time Hubbard and Salem played, it was an accident," Conser said. "Hubbard has a very good team. You don't go undefeated if your not pretty good. I'm very happy we were able to prevail, and I'm looking forward to next week at regionals."

"We definitely knew we had to play well," Scullion said. "We just played amazing team volleyball. Everyone contributed. Everyone did their roll. That's why we got the job done."

Salem got off to a good start winning a first game that went back-and-forth the entire way with no team getting more then a three point lead. Salem finally won it when Hubbard returned a serve long at game point.

"To pull that out was key because that proved to us we could do it," Conser said. "The way we played that second game proved to us we might not be able to do it."

The second game didn't go as good for Salem, as Hubbard raced out to an early 12-3 lead and cruised home from there.

"After that second game I just looked at some of them and said, 'Some of you didn't play good that time, and we need you to be better,'" Conser said. "We did better that third game."

It was the Lady Quakers coming out to a fast start in the third game jumping out early as much as 6-1. According to Scullion, it wasn't an offensive hit, but rather a defensive play from Taylor Sauerwein that turned the game around.

"That play that sticks out the most was at the beginning of third game, that dig Taylor had," Scullion said of her teammate diving to the ground to make a save. "It just turned momentum around. We won that hustle play. Hustle plays won it for us tonight."

Salem pulled away in the fourth game when Laura Brown began serving ace after ace to take a close two-point game, and turn it into an eight-point Salem advantage. Brown had four aces on the night and also recorded 44 assists.

Also having good nights for the Lady Quakers was Mariah Halleck with one ace, 14 kills and two blocks. Lydia Shivers, who missed the first match with Hubbard made up for lost time with six kills and five blocks. Alexis Smith also added four kills and three blocks.

After the celebration last night, it's back in the gym today for Salem as they now prepare for a regional semifinal on Thursday. The Lady Quakers will again travel to Stow for a 6 p.m. start.