NA, Mars, GCC advance to PIAA volleyball semifinals
North Allegheny did not win a WPIAL girls volleyball title, but the Tigers are closing in on an even bigger prize.
The Tigers are the only WPIAL team remaining in the PIAA Class AAA bracket after yesterday's 25-17, 25-22, 25-15 sweep of District 6 champion State College. Ava Mosbacher led the Tigers with 13 kills, while Maura Nolan contributed 20 assists and three serving aces.
"When we lost in the WPIAL semifinals [to Fox Chapel], I reminded the girls that you don't have to be a WPIAL champion to win a PIAA title," North Allegheny coach Heidi Miller said. "If you look back at North Allegheny's history you will find teams that did well in the state tournament that didn't win a WPIAL title."
A good example of this is the 2007 season. North Allegheny placed third in the WPIAL that year, but were the only WPIAL team to advance to the PIAA semifinals. The Tigers dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to Garden Spot in that match.
The following season [2008], North Allegheny won a WPIAL title then placed second in the PIAA. That marked the fifth time in school history that the Tigers played in a state title match.
Miller's squad can earn a sixth title berth with a semifinal win Tuesday against Landisville Hempfield, the third-place finisher from District 3, at a site to be determined.
Hempfield, last year's PIAA runner-up, earned its fourth consecutive semifinal berth with a 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 sweep of WPIAL champion Mt. Lebanon. The Blue Devils were led by Caroline Grattan, who recorded 18 kills.
"Hempfield had a much bigger team than we did," Mt. Lebanon coach Jeff Schilling said. "My girls gave them all they could handle, but just we just couldn't overcome their height advantage."
* In Class AA, WPIAL champion Mars earned its first PIAA semifinal berth with a 3-2 victory against District 10 champion Meadville.
The Planets posted wins of 25-18 and 27-25 in the first two sets, then dropped a 25-20 decision in the third set. Mars capped the victory with a 25-16 win.
"Meadville found a way to slow down one or two of our hitters, but we had too much balance for them," Mars coach Dan Mountain said. "It was a total team effort."
Mars will face District 10 champion Fort LeBoeuf in the semifinals, Tuesday at a site to be determined. Fort LeBoeuf earned its berth with a 28-26, 25-23, 25-22 sweep of WPIAL runner-up Hopewell.
Abby Matusik led Mars with 16 kills, while teammates Jaden Zimmer and Emily King added 11 kills each.
* In Class A, WPIAL champion Greensburg Central Catholic claimed its first PIAA semifinal berth with a 3-1 victory against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the WPIAL's fourth place finisher.
"It was a total team effort," Greensburg Central coach Heather Meyer said. "The girls are looking forward to the rematch with [District 9 champion] Clarion in the semifinals."
Clarion, a PIAA runner-up the past two seasons, advanced to the semifinals with a 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21 win against District 10 champion Maplewood. Greensburg Central and Clarion met earlier in the season and split two games.
Kristi Chenarides and Lexi Yoho led O.L. Sacred Heart with 14 kills each, while Samantha Ritter contributed 9. Yoho also had nine digs.
The Tigers are the only WPIAL team remaining in the PIAA Class AAA bracket after yesterday's 25-17, 25-22, 25-15 sweep of District 6 champion State College. Ava Mosbacher led the Tigers with 13 kills, while Maura Nolan contributed 20 assists and three serving aces.
"When we lost in the WPIAL semifinals [to Fox Chapel], I reminded the girls that you don't have to be a WPIAL champion to win a PIAA title," North Allegheny coach Heidi Miller said. "If you look back at North Allegheny's history you will find teams that did well in the state tournament that didn't win a WPIAL title."
A good example of this is the 2007 season. North Allegheny placed third in the WPIAL that year, but were the only WPIAL team to advance to the PIAA semifinals. The Tigers dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to Garden Spot in that match.
The following season [2008], North Allegheny won a WPIAL title then placed second in the PIAA. That marked the fifth time in school history that the Tigers played in a state title match.
Miller's squad can earn a sixth title berth with a semifinal win Tuesday against Landisville Hempfield, the third-place finisher from District 3, at a site to be determined.
Hempfield, last year's PIAA runner-up, earned its fourth consecutive semifinal berth with a 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 sweep of WPIAL champion Mt. Lebanon. The Blue Devils were led by Caroline Grattan, who recorded 18 kills.
"Hempfield had a much bigger team than we did," Mt. Lebanon coach Jeff Schilling said. "My girls gave them all they could handle, but just we just couldn't overcome their height advantage."
* In Class AA, WPIAL champion Mars earned its first PIAA semifinal berth with a 3-2 victory against District 10 champion Meadville.
The Planets posted wins of 25-18 and 27-25 in the first two sets, then dropped a 25-20 decision in the third set. Mars capped the victory with a 25-16 win.
"Meadville found a way to slow down one or two of our hitters, but we had too much balance for them," Mars coach Dan Mountain said. "It was a total team effort."
Mars will face District 10 champion Fort LeBoeuf in the semifinals, Tuesday at a site to be determined. Fort LeBoeuf earned its berth with a 28-26, 25-23, 25-22 sweep of WPIAL runner-up Hopewell.
Abby Matusik led Mars with 16 kills, while teammates Jaden Zimmer and Emily King added 11 kills each.
* In Class A, WPIAL champion Greensburg Central Catholic claimed its first PIAA semifinal berth with a 3-1 victory against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the WPIAL's fourth place finisher.
"It was a total team effort," Greensburg Central coach Heather Meyer said. "The girls are looking forward to the rematch with [District 9 champion] Clarion in the semifinals."
Clarion, a PIAA runner-up the past two seasons, advanced to the semifinals with a 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21 win against District 10 champion Maplewood. Greensburg Central and Clarion met earlier in the season and split two games.
Kristi Chenarides and Lexi Yoho led O.L. Sacred Heart with 14 kills each, while Samantha Ritter contributed 9. Yoho also had nine digs.
volleyball