JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – When a team is competing for championships at this time of the year on the volleyball court, it can come with a little extra nerves.
Sometimes, a team needs a change in momentum in the middle of the second set to help it set in. That happened for Berlin Brothersvalley Saturday afternoon in their PIAA Class 1A Quarterfinal matchup at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center.
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That moment occurred with Bishop Carroll Catholic on set point, but the Mountaineers went on a 4-0 run to win the set, which included a Lexi Foor kill to grab the frame. Berlin Brothersvalley (19-3) won the match 18-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-20.
The Mountaineers’ reward is a date with Eden Christian on Tuesday night at a site and time to be announced, with the winner facing either Dayspring Christian or West Shore Christian next Saturday at St. Francis University in the PIAA final.
Berlin Brothersvalley coach Corey Will thought the struggles to adjust to Huskies middle hitter Emily Olienyk – who was battling through injury – played a role before his squad settled in.
“I don’t think we (adjusted well),” he said. “Winning the second set was definitely the momentum shift we needed. You get this level, there’s definitely nerves, I think it takes a little time to settle in on both sides.”
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The Huskies wasted no time landing the opening punch as Olivia Gregg registered three of her 13 kills to help build an early 5-2 lead. She added a pair of aces.
Kaydyn Smith helped stretch that lead late in the opening stanza as she registered three aces with a kill of her own to make it 21-13 on their way to taking the first set.
In the second, Berlin Brothersvalley found its footing as Mackenzie Kimmel (twice) and Lia Fairman combined for three finishes in the sequence to go on a 5-0 run, giving the Mountaineers a 10-6 lead before evening the match at one set apiece.
“They got pressure on us,” Bishop Carroll coach Katie Patrick said. “I think they played incredible defense. They were getting digs, they were hustling down balls, they were diving and getting the ups.
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“We were hustling, we were moving, we didn’t give up, but I think under pressure, that’s where Berlin played incredible defense.”
The middle portion of the third was when Elena Ritchey went to work as she picked up two of her 11 kills to help Berlin Brothersvalley take a 16-11 lead. Calle Ritchey got a couple finishes of her own to cap off the third.
“We talked about not running the ball straight through the middle, but running a little more, especially Elena (Ritchey) more to the C-Route, which is between the middle and the outside, to get her to move,” Will said. “I never want to see a girl get hurt; I was glad to see her get back in there and be able to compete. If we have that advantage, we’re going to use that advantage.”
Patrick credited Olienyk – who finished with nine kills – for fighting through the pain she was dealing with.
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“She’s been a leader through the whole season, and that definitely had an effect on our offense, and on our mindsets a little bit,” she said.
Berlin Brothersvalley put the match away late in the fourth set as both Ritcheys registered finishes, while Addisyn Glessner came up with an ace to help punch its ticket to the semifinal.
Will is looking forward to returning to the state semifinals for the first time since 2019.
“It’s very cyclical as far as talent and when you’re going to have your chances, and I never knew I’d have another chance to do it,” he said. “I certainly feel blessed, and hopefully we can make the most of it.”
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The Huskies (16-6), meanwhile, are saying goodbye to six seniors who helped the program win its first District 6 championship and state playoff match since 2018 and 2019, respectively.
“The further you get, the more it hurts to lose,” he said. “The senior class set a standard, they left their legacy, they made a print on Bishop Carroll volleyball. I’m proud of them. The senior class set the standard that the underclassmen look up to.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
