Keystone Oaks rebounds, earns volleyball playoff bid
Keystone Oaks boys volleyball coach Michael DiPaolo experienced a first last season ... and he didn't particularly like it.
"That was the first time since I took over as head coach that we didn't make the WPIAL playoffs," DiPaolo said.
Keystone Oaks placed fifth in Section 3-AA last season with a disappointing 2-8 record.
"I'm going through a tough stretch with the program," DiPaolo said. "We started out with 15 kids, but lost two seniors to academic and attendance issues."
Despite the low numbers, Keystone Oaks is back in the WPIAL playoffs. The Golden Eagles have a 5-3 record in Section 3-AA. With two matches remaining, the Golden Eagles have clinched at least a tie for third place and the resultant playoff berth.
Keystone Oaks, ranked No. 8 in Class AA in the WPIAL, won, 3-1, at Thomas Jefferson on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles play host to winless Trinity tonight, then conclude their section schedule with Tuesday's match at Seton-LaSalle.
"We finished the first half of section play with a 3-2 record," DiPaolo said. "Our goal in the second half is to go 4-1. To reach that goal we must beat Seton-LaSalle. That is possible if we play the way we did against South Park last week."
Keystone Oaks opened the second half with a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to South Park, the unbeaten section leader.
"We actually won the first two games, then lost three straight," DiPaolo said.
"It was so frustrating to see us play so well in the first two games, then let it slip away. We haven't learned how to put teams away."
DiPaolo can see what the problem is.
"We've been struggling with court chemistry and court presence," DiPaolo said. "We tend to lose focus when things are going well. We can't let that happen."
South Park leads the section with an 8-0 record, while Seton-LaSalle is second at 6-2 after losing to the Eagles Tuesday. The victory clinched at least a share of the section title for South Park.
Keystone Oaks made only one tournament appearance this season. The Golden Eagles participated in the 16-team Norwin Tournament the opening week of the season, but did not place.
"We were also scheduled to play in the Hempfield Tournament, but I decided to pull out because of our schedule," DiPaolo said. "We had three back-to-back matches that week and had three more matches scheduled the next week. That was too much volleyball for a small squad like ours. I felt having more practice time that week was more important."
DiPaolo built this year's squad around six returning lettermen, including J.T. Lippert, a 5-foot-10 junior setter. Lippert was voted second-team All-Section 3-AA last year.
"J.T. started at libero his freshman year, then switched to setter last year," DiPaolo said. "He's our only returning letterman who started the whole season."
The other five returning lettermen are 6-2 senior middle hitter D'Metrius Agurs, 6-3 senior middle hitter Cory Demino, 5-10 senior outside hitter Fahad Alkan, 6-1 sophomore outside hitter Braydon Griffiths and 6-2 junior opposite Jeff Coffy.
"D'Metrius missed the second half of last season with an injury," DiPaolo said. "Cory took over for him. Braydon also became a starter halfway through the season. Fahad and Jeff played in the back row for us."
Newcomers Kurt Rahner and Stephen Marian have stepped into the starting rotation. Rahner is a 5-10 sophomore who is starting at libero. Marian is a 5-11 sophomore serving specialist.
Other members of the team are 5-6 junior defensive specialist Connor O'Leary, 6-5 sophomore middle hitter Armon Dashti, 5-10 sophomore defensive specialist Dennis Kostic, 6-2 freshman outside hitter Tom Gorman and 6-2 freshman middle hitter Vince Lusardi.
"That was the first time since I took over as head coach that we didn't make the WPIAL playoffs," DiPaolo said.
Keystone Oaks placed fifth in Section 3-AA last season with a disappointing 2-8 record.
"I'm going through a tough stretch with the program," DiPaolo said. "We started out with 15 kids, but lost two seniors to academic and attendance issues."
Despite the low numbers, Keystone Oaks is back in the WPIAL playoffs. The Golden Eagles have a 5-3 record in Section 3-AA. With two matches remaining, the Golden Eagles have clinched at least a tie for third place and the resultant playoff berth.
Keystone Oaks, ranked No. 8 in Class AA in the WPIAL, won, 3-1, at Thomas Jefferson on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles play host to winless Trinity tonight, then conclude their section schedule with Tuesday's match at Seton-LaSalle.
"We finished the first half of section play with a 3-2 record," DiPaolo said. "Our goal in the second half is to go 4-1. To reach that goal we must beat Seton-LaSalle. That is possible if we play the way we did against South Park last week."
Keystone Oaks opened the second half with a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to South Park, the unbeaten section leader.
"We actually won the first two games, then lost three straight," DiPaolo said.
"It was so frustrating to see us play so well in the first two games, then let it slip away. We haven't learned how to put teams away."
DiPaolo can see what the problem is.
"We've been struggling with court chemistry and court presence," DiPaolo said. "We tend to lose focus when things are going well. We can't let that happen."
South Park leads the section with an 8-0 record, while Seton-LaSalle is second at 6-2 after losing to the Eagles Tuesday. The victory clinched at least a share of the section title for South Park.
Keystone Oaks made only one tournament appearance this season. The Golden Eagles participated in the 16-team Norwin Tournament the opening week of the season, but did not place.
"We were also scheduled to play in the Hempfield Tournament, but I decided to pull out because of our schedule," DiPaolo said. "We had three back-to-back matches that week and had three more matches scheduled the next week. That was too much volleyball for a small squad like ours. I felt having more practice time that week was more important."
DiPaolo built this year's squad around six returning lettermen, including J.T. Lippert, a 5-foot-10 junior setter. Lippert was voted second-team All-Section 3-AA last year.
"J.T. started at libero his freshman year, then switched to setter last year," DiPaolo said. "He's our only returning letterman who started the whole season."
The other five returning lettermen are 6-2 senior middle hitter D'Metrius Agurs, 6-3 senior middle hitter Cory Demino, 5-10 senior outside hitter Fahad Alkan, 6-1 sophomore outside hitter Braydon Griffiths and 6-2 junior opposite Jeff Coffy.
"D'Metrius missed the second half of last season with an injury," DiPaolo said. "Cory took over for him. Braydon also became a starter halfway through the season. Fahad and Jeff played in the back row for us."
Newcomers Kurt Rahner and Stephen Marian have stepped into the starting rotation. Rahner is a 5-10 sophomore who is starting at libero. Marian is a 5-11 sophomore serving specialist.
Other members of the team are 5-6 junior defensive specialist Connor O'Leary, 6-5 sophomore middle hitter Armon Dashti, 5-10 sophomore defensive specialist Dennis Kostic, 6-2 freshman outside hitter Tom Gorman and 6-2 freshman middle hitter Vince Lusardi.
volleyball