Sheffield’s Kassidy Orinko with Wolverines’ Head Coach Melissa Lemay celebrating the Senior surpassing 500 career kills. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

The Wolverines are rolling this volleyball season with successful season and tournament play, with much of this success coming as a team effort, however there is one standout senior who reached a career milestone during Sheffield’s September 15 matchup against Elk County Catholic. Kassidy Orinko, topped 500 career kills, following up on last season’s Kadence Steffan hitting 1,000 assists.

Wolverines’ Head Coach Melissa Lemay recognized Orinko as a vital player on the team, while also acknowledging a cohesive unit as being the reason why her players are able to hit these personal goals.

“I’m always proud of them,” said Lemay. “But she can’t have 500 kills without someone passing the ball to her setter, and her setter setting her up. None of that can happen without our ability to pass the ball. She and Kandance both have started since Freshman. I had them Volley-Tots before they were even old enough to play junior high volleyball, so this group of seniors has just been something very special from the beginning.”

“We’ve always had that really tight bond as a setter, hitter duo,” Orinko said of her four years playing alongside Steffan. “I think just having her get her thousand assists last year, then me get my 500 kills this year, it just brings together the team a lot and I’ve always had the support of everybody around me.”

Orinko, who has made a name for herself for putting her body on the line to save a ball and reaching new heights to spike, got her 500th from a simple tip during an upsetting loss to the Crusaders.

“I feel like it didn’t really go out with a bang,” said Orinko. “It was like a tip, and obviously 500 is 500, but it would have been nice to get a good game and play with all of our hearts.”

Orinko, with four years of starting under her belt, attributes her ability to not just reach her own personal goals, but also take on a leadership role to teammates early on in her career.

“We were really close,” said Orinko “Me and Emily (Leichtenberger) were really close, so it really helped and felt like I was really close with everyone on the team. Lynzie Grubbs, I grew up with her, so it made it easy for me to fit in.”

Along with teammates both past and present, Lemay credits some of Orinko’s drive to her being a part of successful teams early in her career. Specifically going 15-3 in 2020 and winning a playoff game at home the same year, which set the mark as to what success should be.

“She’s kind of had people to look up to,” said Lemay. “I think the success early on helps give you more confidence. It helps you want to be a part of that winning tradition.”

Orinko hopes her achievements will encourage the younger players to set and reach goals for themselves and the team.

“I hope to be someone that people can look up to,” said Orinko. “I hope they take that as like, I can do it too.”