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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL

Photo by Bob and Kathy Osterrieder

SCHILLINGER NAMED TO ALL-WPIAL FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS

Senior middle hitter Rachel Schillinger was selected as a member of the Class AAA All-WPIAL First Team.  The Tiger senior led the Tigers to the WPIAL playoffs this season.  Schillinger led the team in kills with 256 and was second in blocks with 177.  Schillinger was the only NA player to be named to the all-star teams.

ALL-WPIAL CLASS AAA SELECTIONS

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LEBO RALLIES TO KNOCK NA FROM PLAYOFFS, 3-1

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

The Lady Tigers defeated Mt. Lebanon, 25-21, in the first game of the WPIAL quarterfinals at South Fayette on Tuesday night, but the Blue Devils came storming back to win the next three games to win the match, 3-1.  All four games were close with Lebo winning 25-22, 25-23, and 25-20.  Senior MH Rachel Schillinger led the way for the Lady Tigers with 20 kills, but it was not enough as NA bowed out of the playoffs.

Game one was an indication of how things would go throughout the match.  Led by Schillinger's four kills, the Lady Tigers stayed even with Lebo in the early going.  A cross court kill by senior MH Julienne Moots tied the game at 8-8.  Two blocks by Rosemary Calland and a kill and a block by Juliana Trout pushed Lebo ahead 14-10.  After a two-handed push by Alyssa Ropar made it 15-11, the teams exchanged points with Schillinger and Trout matching kills.  With NA trailing 16-12, the Lady Tigers began a 9-0 run to take the lead.  Sophomore OH Michele Osterrieder picked up a pair of kills, Moots and Osterrieder shared a block, and Moots had a kill as NA took a 21-16 lead.  Lebo came back to cut it to 21-19 after two NA misplays and a dink by Kathryn Traut.   The Lady Tigers would not be denied down the stretch with seniors Katie Elmore and Morgan Fitzgerald combining for a block, and Fitzgerald hitting off the Lebo blockers to extend the margin to 24-20.  After Juliana Traut cut it to 24-21, Schillinger finished the Blue Devils with a big hit to give NA a 25-21 win in game one.

After senior setter Amanda Posteraro started game two with an ace, Lebo went on a 9-2 run with Kathryn Traut, Alyssa Ropar and Juliana Traut leading the charge.  Just when it looked like NA was out of contention, Schillinger blasted a hit off Juliana Trout to start an NA run of 8-3 that tied the game.  Sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik served three straight points, including an ace, Osterrieder picked up another kill, and Moots and senior opposite Caitlin Krepp combined on a block.  With senior DS Marie Trombulak serving, junior OH Lisa Gleason's kill tied the game at 11-11.  After NA took a 12-11 lead, Juliana Traut scored a pair of points to put Lebo back on top.  Gleason kept NA in the game with two kills and a block to match J. Traut's pair of kills.  A kill by Moots on a quick set tied the score at 18-18, but Lebo then took over the game with a 7-4 run.  Three NA misplays and a kill by Natalie Gawronski put Lebo ahead 22-18.  Two kills by Elmore brought NA close at 24-22, but a kill by Juliana Traut ended game two with Mt. Lebanon posting a 25-22 victory to tie the match at 1-1.

In the pivotal game three, it was a dogfight all the way as the lead went back and forth.  Lebo started out with a 3-1 advantage, but the Tigers fought back behind a kill by Gleason, another hit by Moots and an ace by senior DS Cara Davies to put NA ahead, 4-3.  A kill by J. Traut, an ace by Alyssa Ropar and a Tiger misplay put Lebo back ahead, 6-4.  After Moots tied the game at 7-7, two kills by the Traut sisters pushed the lead to 10-8 before NA came back again.  A kill by Gleason,  a block and a kill by Schillinger, and two misplays by Lebo gave NA a 13-10 advantage.  Schillinger and Juliana Traut exchanged kills, and Moots was able to earn another kill to push the NA margin to 16-13.  Juliana Traut then took over with three points off serve.  Osterrieder ended the run with a kill off the Lebo blockers to tie the game again at 17-17.  After Osterrieder gave NA an 18-17 lead, Lebo again was able to control play down the stretch.  A kill by Kathryn Traut and an NA misplay pushed Lebo ahead, 19-18.  Moots came back again to tie the score with a block, but a kill and three straight NA misplays put Lebo on top, 23-19.  A service error by Lebo and a kill by Schillinger cut the margin to 23-21, but another NA error put the Blue Devils at game point.  NA would not quit, however, as Schillinger picked up a kill and J. Traut was called for being over the net to make it a 24-23 Lebo lead.  Calland finished things with a block to give Mt. Lebanon a hard-earned 25-23 win and a 2-1 advantage in the match.

Game four saw Mt. Lebanon jump off to a 6-3 lead behind the hitting of Juliana Traut.  NA came back on a block by Schillinger and a Lebo misplay to cut the lead to 6-5, but an ace from Stephanie Smith, along with a kill by Kathryn Traut, pushed the lead back to 9-5.  With NA trailing 10-6, the Tigers rallied to tie the game behind kills by Moots and Elmore, a tip by Fitzgerald and an ace served up by Trombulak to make it a 10-10 game.  Fitzgerald's tip and an ace by Posteraro put NA ahead for the first time in the game at 13-12, but two quick points by J. Traut made it 14-13.  Schillinger then stepped up to record two kills and a block to make it a 16-15 Tiger lead.  After a misplay tied the game, Moots and Schillinger combined on a block to push NA back ahead at 17-16.  It would be the last Tiger lead of the game.  A kill by Gawronski and an NA misplay were countered by a kill from Krepp to tie the game at 18-18.  Once again down the stretch, Lebo put together a winning run as they outscored NA, 7-2, to put away game four and the match.  Fittingly, a kill by Juliana Traut gave Lebo a 25-20 win in the game, and a 3-1 victory in the match.

The Lady Tigers played with enthusiasm and hustle, but in the end, it was the hitting of Division I recruit Juliana Traut that made the difference.  NA was led by  Schillinger, Moots, Elmore, Fitzgerald, Gleason, Krepp and Osterrieder at the net.  Posteraro and Hodnik set well, and Trombulak, Davies, and senior Kelly Scherer played well in the back.  The Tigers will miss the play of the departing seniors, but return a good nucleus of players and a good JV team for next year.

The Lady Tigers finished with a record of 10-6 overall.  For her efforts in the match, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Rachel Schillinger as the Player of the match.

MATCH SUMMARY
MT. LEBANON - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1

WPIAL AAA GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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LADY TIGER COMEBACK FINISHES FOXES, 3-2, IN WPIAL PLAYOFFS

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

Led by senior co-captain and middle hitter Rachel Schillinger, the Lady Tigers came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Fox Chapel, 3-2, at Fox Chapel on Thursday night.  NA dropped the first game, 25-17, before winning game two, 25-21.  After leading for most of the third game, the Lady Tigers saw Fox Chapel rally for a 25-23 victory.  In game four, the Tigers held on for a 25-21 win, and in the fifth and final game, it was NA all the way for a 15-10 victory.

In game one, Fox Chapel took control early.  After the teams battled to a 5-5 tie, a combination of NA errors and good hitting by 6-2 junior Erin Cooper gave the Foxes an 11-5 advantage.  Two service points by senior Cara Davies and a kill by senior Julienne Moots cut the lead to 13-9, but the Lady Tigers could no closer.  With the setting of senior Liz Sterrett and the hitting of seniors Erin Sneider and Katie Kingsley, the Foxes were able to post a 25-17 victory.

In the second game, the Lady Tigers came back.  It took NA a little while to adjust to the absence of sophomore Allyson Hodnik, but Coach Dan Schall's new rotation got it done in game two.  After falling behind 3-1 at the outset, a block and a hit by Schillinger down the middle, along with two kills by Moots, put NA ahead 6-5.  After a 7-7 tie, senior Marie Trombulak served five straight points, including two aces, to give NA a 12-7 advantage.  Fox Chapel fought back, thanks to some NA hitting errors, to close the gap to 12-11.  A kill by sophomore OH Michele Osterrieder, another kill by Schillinger, and an ace by senior setter Amanda Posteraro, pushed the lead to 15-11.  Once again Fox Chapel closed the gap behind a block by senior Kendal Fowler and an ace by Kingsley to make it a 16-15 NA lead.  With the score 17-16, the Lady Tigers closed out the game with an 8-5 run.  After Davies served a pair of points, senior opposite Caitlin Krepp got a point on a hit off the FC blockers to give NA a 21-17 lead.  Cooper and Sterritt brought the Foxes back two within two at 22-20, but a kill by Elmore, an ace by Posteraro, and two Fox Chapel misplays gave NA a 25-21 win in game two.

In the third game, it looked like the Lady Tigers would take control of the match.  Posteraro served three straight points and Elmore picked up a kill as NA broke on top, 5-1.  A block by Krepp, an ace by senior opposite Kelly Scherer, and a good hit by Schillinger pushed the Tiger lead to 9-3.  Sneider and Cooper then sparked a Fox Chapel rally that put the Foxes ahead, 12-10.  NA came back behind good hits from Elmore and senior OH Morgan Fitzgerald to tie the game at 14-14.  Senior DS Tammi Nappi then served a pair of aces, Schillinger scored on a dink, and Fitzgerald picked up another kill to give NA an 18-14 advantage.  Another dink by Schillinger, a kill by Krepp, and a misplay by the Foxes made it a 21-16 Tiger lead.  Fox Chapel was not finished, however, as junior Jen Hollingsworth came and served seven straight points to give FC a 23-21 lead.  Copper had three kills and a block during the rally.  After a Schillinger kill cut the lead to 23-22, Cooper's hit pushed it to 24-22.  Osterrider scored on a cross-court hit to cut the lead to one again, but Sterrett's two-handed push found an open space to give the Foxes a 25-23 win in the third game.

With their backs against the wall, the Lady Tigers came back strong in game four.  Schillinger set the stage early, scoring on a tip, a block, and a kill down the middle as the teams battled to an 8-8 tie.  After NA took a 12-10 lead behind a Schilling kill and several FC misplays, the Foxes used an ace from senior Lauren Kunkle and a block by Cooper to regain the lead at 13-12.  Once again, NA opened a lead, scoring seven straight points with a kill by Osterrieder and an ace by Davies the key plays.  Moots then scored on two kills and a block as the Tigers pushed the lead to 22-15.   The Foxes battled back yet again and an ace by junior Mary Lisowski cut the lead to 22-21.   Two Fox Chapel mistakes gave NA a 24-21 lead, and Schillinger finished off game four with a kill of the blockers as the Tigers tied the match at 2-2.

The fifth game was all NA.  With Posteraro serving an ace to start the game, two kills by Schillinger gave NA a 4-0 lead at the outset.  A kill by Schillinger, another by Krepp, and a blcok by Moots made it 8-2.  After Cooper scored on a kill, Krepp picked up a point on a kill, Osterrieder went off the FC blockers, Moots and Krepp combined on a block, and Osterrieder scored again to give the Lady Tigers a commanding 12-3 advantage.  The Foxes made a brief run to cut the lead to 13-8, but NA would not be denied.  After Elmore's kill made it 14-10, the Foxes served long to give the Lady Tigers a 15-10 win and a 3-2 victory in the match.

It was a good team effort led by Schillinger as NA was able to make the plays down the stretch.  Schillinger had 18 kills along with 4 blocks to lead the way.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Rachel Schillinger as the Player of the Match.  Krepp and Osterrieder both had 7 kills while Moots added six.  Trombulak had fourteen perfect passes to target while Krepp and Scherer added eleven, and Elmore nine.  Posteraro served five aces.

With the win, the Lady Tigers advanced to the quarterfinals against the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils.  NA defeated Lebo, 3-2, early in the season.  The site and time will be announced later.  As soon as we get the match info, we will post it.

(Thanks again to Steve Elmore for the statistics used in this report!)

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  FOX CHAPEL - 2

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GREENSBURG SALEM WINS NA INVITATIONAL

Greensburg Salem defeated Seneca Valley, 1-0, in the championship of the NA Invitational at the Senior High gym on Saturday.  The Lady Tigers did not qualify for the semifinals or final.

NA INVITATIONAL
Saturday, October 23, 2004
RESULTS

In the WPIAL Tournament, the Tigers will travel to Fox Chapel on Thursday for a first round match against the Foxes.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.

WPIAL CLASS AAA GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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LADY TIGERS DROP USC, 3-1, IN PLAYOFF TUNEUP

The Lady Tigers defeated Upper St. Clair, 3-1, on Senior Night at the Senior High gym on Thursday evening.  NA won the first game, 25-13, took game two, 25-17, lost the third game, 25-23, and came back to close out the match with a convincing 25-12 victory in game four.  Before the game, ten seniors and their parents were recognized and honored.

The Lady Tigers took command early in game one.  After senior MH Rachel Schillinger tied the game at 1-1 with a kill, senior DS Cara Davies served three straight points, including an ace, with senior OH Morgan Fitzgerald picking up two kills.  NA pushed the lead to 9-4 behind a pair of kills by senior opposite Caitlin Krepp, a hit off the USC blockers by sophomore Allyson Hodnik, and a blast by senior OH Katie Elmore.  After senior Sara Meegan gave the Panthers a point, NA went on another run to push the margin to 15-6.  Two more kills by Fitzgerald, along with hitting errors by USC, gave NA the nine-point advantage.  Krepp and Fitzgerald kept the pressure on with big hits, and Schillinger scored on a cross-court hit off the slide to push the lead to 18-11.  The Tigers used a 7-2 run to finish off the Panthers with senior MH Julienne Moots blasting the game winner.

After the Lady Tigers took a 4-0 lead in game two, the Panthers came back behind the hitting of Meegan to tie the score.  At this point, senior opposite Kelly Scherer served four straight points, including two aces as NA pushed the margin to 10-4.  Meegan came back to match the four serving points with two aces of her own as USC closed to 10-8.  Moots scored on a block and two kills  before junior OH Ali McLean and NA misplays made it a 13-12 Tiger advantage.  The Lady Tigers would not be denied, however, as a Hodnik block and Elmore kill pushed the lead to 17-12.  Fitzgerald registered another kill and Davies served another ace as the Tiger lead went to 21-15.  With the score at 22-17, Scherer served two aces and Moots and Schillinger combined on a block to finish off USC, 25-17, in game two.

In game three, Coach Dan Schall was able to give a number of reserves playing time.  NA built a 7-2 lead early ass Davies again served four points with another ace.  A kill by Schillinger and two more by juniors Michele Osterrieder and Sarah Ralutz sparked the run.  With NA leading 8-3, senior Megan Ollendyke led a Panther comeback that tied the score at 8-8.  Two USC hitting errors put NA back on top and senior setter Amanda Posteraro dropped in an ace to push NA back ahead, 15-10.  After a kill by Moots made it 18-13, the Panthers rallied with a 12-5 run to win the second game.  Down the stretch, junior Ellen Howarth had a pair of kills to make it close, but USC was able to hold on for a 25-23 victory.

The fourth game was all North Allegheny.  After USC took an early 3-0 lead, the Lady Tigers scored nine straight points.  Davies served eight straight points behind the hitting of Schillinger, Fitzgerald and Krepp as NA posted a 9-3 advantage.  USC came back to cut the lead to 11-9 before Moots scored off the Panther blockers.  Krepp took over behind the serving line and picked up six straight points, including two service aces.  Moots hammered a swing down the line, added a tip, and combined with Schillinger for a block during the run.  Fitzgerald and Elmore put the Tigers up 21-11 before Posteraro added another ace to her team leading total.  A Schillinger block, a USC misplay, and a kill by Schillinger down the middle put the Tigers at game and match point, 24-12.  Appropriately, Davies served an ace to end the game and the match.  The Tigers took game four, 25-12, and the match, three games to one.

It was a good team victory for the Lady Tigers.  Once again, NA was tough at the net led by Fitzgerald, Moots, and Schillinger.  The back court came through with timely digs and great serving.  For their efforts, not only in the game tonight, but on the season, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Cara Davies and Amanda Posteraro as Co-Players of the Match.

With the victory, the Lady Tigers completed the regular season with an overall record of 9-5.  With a third place finish in section play, NA has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs next week.  We will post playoff information as soon as we receive it.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  UPPER ST. CLAIR - 1

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POSTERARO ACES NORTH HILLS AS LADY TIGERS WIN, 3-0

Senior setter Amanda Posteraro served up seven aces as the Lady Tigers shut out North Hills, 3-0, at North Hills on Tuesday night.  The Tiger team totaled fourteen service aces as they beat the Indians, 25-19, 25-15, and 25-19.  With the win, NA finished in third place in section play and will enter the WPIAL playoffs.

A number of Lady Tigers contributed to the victory.  Senior middle hitter Rachel Schillinger led the statistical parade with 3 solo blocks and 9 assisted blocks, 7 kills and 3 digs.  Sophomore OH Michele Osterrieder recorded six kills and three blocks while senior OH Morgan Fitzgerald registered nine kills.  In the back, senior DS Tammi Nappi had seven digs along with four service aces, senior DS Marie Trombulak posted six digs, and senior DS Cara Davies had six digs and seven perfect passes to target.  Posteraro had 13 assists to go along with her seven aces while sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik recorded six assists.

With the win, NA completed section play with a record of 6-4 and improved their overall mark to 8-5.  The Lady Tigers will host Upper St. Clair tomorrow night in a non-section match as they get ready for the WPIAL playoffs.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

(Thanks again to Steve Elmore for the statistics used in this report!)

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0

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LADY TIGERS HOLD OFF BUTLER, 3-1, TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

Led by a strong performance at the net, the Lady Tigers defeated Butler, 3-1, on Thursday night at the Senior High gym to clinch third place and a playoff spot in the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.  Senior MHs Julienne Moots and Rachel Schillinger, along with sophomore Michele Osterrieder, helped to turn back a Butler rally as NA broke a 1-1 tie with wins of 25-17 and 25-21 in games three and four.

All four games followed a similar pattern as the Lady Tigers built leads only to see Butler rally and come back.  In game one after Butler scored the first two points, senior DS Cara Davies served three aces and Schillinger found an open space for a kill as NA built a 6-2 advantage.  Kills by junior opposite Lisa Gleason and Osterrieder helped NA keep the lead at 9-5.  The Tigers kept control behind the serving of senior DS Marie Trombulak, who hit the line for an ace, as the lead went to 12-6.  Butler started to come back, spurred on by senior setter Kala Schnur, and the hitting of senior OH Kelsey Rice..  With the score at 15-9, senior DS Jasmin Mehelich served a run of five straight, including an ace.  Sophomore Amy Achesinski blocked for a pair of points during the run before senior OH Katie Elmore responded with a kill to keep NA in front 15-14.  A kill by Osterrieder, a block by Moots and Schillinger, and a Butler hitting error pushed the score to 19-16.  Down the stretch, the Lady Tigers went on a 6-3 run to close out game one.  Elmore's hit off the blockers finished off a 25-19 victory for NA in game one.

In game two, the Tigers jumped off to a 7-2 lead as Osterrieder recorded a block and a kill, Schillinger scored on a tip, and senior opposite Kelly Scherer served up a pair of aces.  The lead ballooned to 11-4 behind Moots' blocks and a kill by Osterrieder.  At this point, Kala Schnurr again began to rally the Tornado as Butler went on an 8-2 run.  Sophomore Allyson Hodnik got a point back on a left-handed dump and senior setter Amanda Posteraro served an ace to push the lead to 15-12.  Butler would not be denied, however, and came back behind Rice and junior Abby Herrit to tie the score at 18.  A Tiger miscue and an ace by sophomore Jessica McWilliams gave Butler a 20-18 advantage.  A misplay by NA and a dink by senior Ashleigh Huey pushed the margin to 22-18.  NA did not quit as Osterrieder put away a Butler overpass, Moots scored on a slide, and then a kill as the Tigers tied the score at 22-22.  After Osterrieder hit off the blockers to put NA ahead, Butler scored the last three points on Tiger miscues to win game two, 25-23.

In the third game, the Lady Tigers again jumped off to a lead.  Three straight blocks by the Tigers' Schillinger, Moots, and Osterrieder gave NA a 6-3 advantage in the early going.   A Moots' blast down the middle and an ace by Schillinger pushed the margin to 8-4.  With Butler trailing 9-6, the Tornado again mounted a comeback.  Two kills by Huey and another by senior Brandie Welch put the Tornado ahead, 11-10., before Gleason was able to respond with a kill to tie the game.  With the score tied at 13-13, Schilliger dropped in a dink to give NA the lead for good.  Down the stretch, it was the Tiger size at the net that led a 12-5 run to close out the game.  Osterrieder had three kills and Elmore a block and a kill before Moots put the finishing touches on a 25-17 victory with a block to seal the win.

The Tigers continued to open games with a lead as they posted an early 7-3 advantage in game four.  Schillinger led the charge with a pair of blocks and a kill while Moots continued to stymie the Butler hitters with two more blocks.  Butler continued to rally, however, and closed to within 10-8 behind the hitting of Rice and Huey.  After Posteraro served an ace, Kala Schnur did likewise and two NA errors brought the Tornado to within one at 13-12.  Three consecutive hits by Huey put Butler ahead, 15-14, before Osterrieder tied the game with a big hit.  Moots then took over.  A kill, a block with junior Ellen Howarth, and two more kills later, the Lady Tigers had pushed the advantage to 20-16.  After yet another kill by Moots, two NA misplays cut the margin to 21-18.  A 4-2 run finished the Tornado as Howarth had a kill and a block before Butler's last attempt sailed wide.  The Lady Tigers won game four, 25-21, and the match, three games to one.

Statistically, the Lady Tigers were led by Schillinger with 11 kills, 11 perfect passes to target and 7 digs, along with Osterrieder with 14 kills, 8 perfect passes, 5 blocks and nine digs and Moots who had ten kills.  In the back, Davies had 8 digs, 10 perfect passes, and two assists, Trombulak had 8 perfect passes and 7 digs, and Scherer had two aces.   Posteraro served 3 aces and had 23 assists while Hodnik had 22 assists and 5 blocks.  The Tigers posted 10 service aces in the match.

It was a good team effort by the Lady Tigers, and their strength at the net proved to be the difference.  Good setting by Posteraro and Hodnik gave the Tiger swingers plenty of opportunities and they took advantage of it to down the Tornado.  Coach Schall went to doubling the blockers for much of the last three games, and it kept Butler off balance.  For her effort throughout the match, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Julienne Moots as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Lady Tigers clinched a playoff spot.  With just one section match remaining, the NA section record went to 5-4 and Butler dropped to 4-5.  Since NA defeated Butler twice, even if the teams tied, NA has the tiebreaker.  

(Thanks again to Steve Elmore for the statistics in this report!)

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER - 1

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SENECA VALLEY OVERPOWERS LADY TIGERS, 3-0

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

The Seneca Valley Raiders showed why they are the top-ranked team in the WPIAL as they defeated the Lady Tigers, 3-0, at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  Seneca won the first game, 25-11, to set the stage for the victory.  NA came back to make games two and three closer but still dropped 25-22 and 25-21 decisions.

In the first game, Seneca Valley started strong and never looked back.  After senior DS Cara Davies picked up a point on a kill to cut the lead to 4-3, Seneca went on a 6-1 run to extend the margin to 10-4.  Senior MH Lindsey Skorupan and junior OH Danielle Diamond did most of the damage as the Raiders took control.  The Tigers were kept off balance for most of the game by the powerful swings of the Raiders as Laura Dubois was successful on three kills.  With the Raiders ahead 12-5, senior MH Julienne Moots picked up two kills to cut the lead to 13-7, but that was as close as NA would get.  After Diamond scored on a slam down the middle to make it 18-10, the Raiders outscored NA 7-1 down the stretch to win going away.

The Lady Tigers regrouped and played much better in the second game.  Senior MH Rachel Schillinger had two early kills and Moots a block as NA tied the game at 4-4.  The Tigers took a brief lead at 6-5 on a Raider misplay, but Seneca then went on another run as they got the lead back and pushed it to 13-8.  After Schillinger's kill cut the margin to 15-10, it was Skorupa, Dubois and Diamond all registering kills as SV increased the advantage to 18-10.  Junior OH Michele Osterrieder led a mini-comeback with two consecutive kills down the line, and two SV hitting errors brought NA back to within five at 20-15.  After junior MH Ellen Howarth scored on a hit off the blockers, the Tigers were within four at 21-17.  After Dubois and senior Lauren Lindner brought Seneca to game point at 24-19, Howarth's kill and Schillinger's tip cut the margin to 24-22.  A service error ended things for NA as the Raiders won game two, 25-22.

In game three, the Lady Tigers stayed close for most of the contest.  After a tip by Schillinger tied the game at 4-4, a kill off the NA blockers by junior Chelsey Pavlick gave SV the lead at 5-4.  Two aces by Dubois pushed the margin to 7-4, but the Raiders committed three consecutive hitting errors as NA tied the score at 7-7.  After a timeout by Seneca coach Heather Haff, the Raiders took control again.  Two kills by Lindner and an ace by Diamond pushed the margin to 14-9.  The Tigers made another run led by a kill from Howarth, a block by Schillinger, another block by Schillinger and senior OH Katie Elmore, and more SV errors to cut the lead to 16-14.  The Tigers continued to stay close as Osterrieder scored on a cross court hit and Moots picked up a dink as the score went to 19-16. After the Raiders pushed the lead to 21-17, sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik dumped in a point with her left hand, junior Kelly Scherer got a kill of the SV blockers, and a hit by Lindner went wide as NA cut the lead to 21-20.  It was not to be the Tigers' night, however, as the Raiders ran off a 4-1 run to finish off game three at 25-20, and the match at three games to none.

Statistically, the Raiders dominated.  For NA, Schillinger led with 7 kills, while Howarth had six kills and two blocks, and Moots posted six kills.  Osterrieder recorded 8 perfect passes to target, five kills and five digs while senior setter Amanda Posteraro had 15 assists and 5 digs.  Davies had 7 perfect passes and 5 digs, Scherer came up with 7 perfect passes, and Hodnik chipped in with 14 assists.  For her efforts, particularly in games two and three, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Ellen Howarth as the Player of the Game.

The loss dropped the NA section record to 4-4, the overall mark to 6-5.  The Lady Tigers will host Butler tomorrow night in a battle for the third and final playoff spot.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

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PINE-RICHLAND STOPS LADY TIGERS, 3-1

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

The Lady Tigers fought hard against Pine-Richland at the Senior High gym on Thursday night but the Rams prevailed, 3-1.  After losing game one, 25-9, NA came back to take game two, 25-19.  Games three and four went down to the wire, but PR was able to rally in the end for wins of 25-22 and 25-19.

In the first game, it was all Pine-Richland.  Ram middle blocker Jenna Matson dominated at the net at PR built an early 7-2 advantage.  NA came back behind a serving ace by senior DS Marie Trombulak and a block by senior MH Rachel Schillinger to cut the lead to 7-4.  After the Rams increased the margin to 11-5, sophomore Michele Osterrieder and senior Katie Elmore picked up kills to close the gap to 11-7.  It was the closest the Tigers would get as the Rams rolled to a 25-9 victory.

At the beginning of game two, it looked like more of the same.  The Rams quickly posted an 11-5 lead before NA was able to come back.  The Tigers regrouped at this point, spurred on by a loud and enthusiast crowd.  Junior Lisa Gleason scored on two quick kills to cut the margin to 11-8.  After PR scored a pair of points, sophomore Allyson Hodnik scored off the blockers and senior setter Amanda Posteraro served two points, one an ace, as NA cut the lead to 14-13.  An Osterrieder dink tied the score for the first time.  The teams battled on even terms over the next three points until Osterrieder came through again with a blast down the middle to give the Lady Tigers their first lead of the match, 18-17.  A Ram misplay, another kill by Elmore, and another PR error built the lead to 21-17 as Pine-Richland coach Emily Gerega was forced to call a time out.  Senior MH Julienne Moots responded with another kill before junior MB Allison Stitt scored to cut the lead to 22-18.  Another kill by Moots down the line and two errors by the Rams gave NA a 25-19 victory in game two.

In the crucial third game, Posteraro started with an ace and Schillinger added two kills as NA jumped off to a 3-1 lead.  The Rams came back with five straight points behind Matson and sophomore OH Kendall Ashworth to take a 6-3 advantage.  A kill by Osterrieder off the blockers and a block by Moots and Schillinger cut the lead to 6-5.  After PR pushed the margin to 8-5, NA came back with kills by Osterrieder and Moots to cut the lead to 8-7.  With senior opposite Caitlin Krepp serving, two errors by the Rams gave NA a 10-9 advantage.  The teams exchanged points as Hodnik scored on a left handed dump and the Rams had miscommunication problems.  With the score tied at 12-12, PR went on a 5-0 run.  Trailing 17-12, NA rallied again. A Hodnik block and a Schillinger kill cut the lead to 17-15.  With NA trailing 18-15, Schillinger posted another kill and Osterrieder cut the lead to 18-17.  After a PR time out, senior setter/DS Cara Davies served an ace to tie the game at 18-18.  With the score tied at 19, Osterrieder gave NA its last lead of the game at 20-19.  Down the stretch, the Rams outscored the Tigers 6-2 to win game two, 25-22.

In the fourth game, the Tigers stayed close in the early going.  An ace by Davies, two PR misplays, and an Osterrieder kill put the Tigers in a 4-4 tie.  The Rams countered with four straight points, but the Tigers responded with four of their own behind kills by Hodnik and Osterrieder and two Ram errors.  Trombulak served an ace to tie the game again at 10-10, but the Rams took over at this point and never trailed.  NA made several runs.  With PR leading 17-12, Elmore hit the back line on a kill and Davies served a point to cut the lead to 17-14.  Trailing 18-14, Osterrieder smashed a kill down the middle and Moots scored cross court on a slide to cut the lead to two at 18-16.  The Rams regrouped, however, to outscore NA 7-3 down the stretch to win the game, 25-19, and the match, 3-1.

After a slow beginning, the Lady Tigers came back to give the Rams a real battle.  Osterrieder led with 13 kills while Schillinger had 10.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Michele Osterrieder as the Player of the Match.  Moots blocked two and assisted on five others.  Davies led the passing attack with 15 perfect passes to target, along with two service aces, while Trombulak had 13 passes and 9 digs, and Krepp added 12 PPT and 10 digs.  Gleason chipped in with seven digs, and the setters combined for 34 assists with Posteraro picking up 18 and Hodnik 16.

The loss dropped the NA section record to 4-3, the overall mark to 6-4.  The Lady Tigers will be back in action on Tuesday when they host the Seneca Valley Raiders in an important section match.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
PINE-RICHLAND - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1

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LADY TIGERS DOWN SHALER, 3-1

Coach Dan Schall's Lady Tigers defeated the Shaler Titans, 3-1, in a section match at the Senior High gym on Tuesday afternoon.  After NA won the first game, 25-14, the Titans came back to capture game two, 25-11.  The Lady Tigers responded by winning games three and four, 25-17 and 25-19.

The victory improved the NA section record to 4-2, the overall mark to 6-3.  The Lady Tigers will be back in action again tomorrow night when they host the Pine-Richland Rams at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 pm.  Scheduled starting time for the match is set for 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SHALER AREA - 1

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HOPEWELL SWEEPS LADY TIGERS, 3-0

The Lady Tigers traveled to Hopewell on Wednesday night to meet the #1 ranked team in the PIAA.  The Vikings shut out NA, 3-0, in the non-section match.  The Lady Tigers made it close in game one, 25-21, dropped the second game, 25-18, and were defeated in game three, 25-20.  The loss dropped the NA overall record to 5-3.

Senior MH Julienne Moots led the Lady Tigers with 7 kills, senior MH Rachel Schillinger had 5 kills and two service aces, and sophomore Constance Gardzinski had six kills.  Senior Cara Davies had 10 perfect passes to target, senior opposite Kelly Scherer had 6 ppt, while senior DS Marie Trombulak and senior OH Caitlin Krepp posted 8 digs each.  Sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik recorded 8 assists while senior setter Amanda Posteraro had six assists.

Danielle Wagner led the Vikings with 26 assists, Nicole Tranelli had 13 digs, Christa Harmotto recorded 11 kills and 5 blocks, and Heather Peck served four aces.  The win improved the Hopewell record to 8-0 over, 7-0 in Section 1-AA.

The Lady Tigers will be back in action again on Tuesday afternoon when they host Shaler.  The match has been moved from 7:00 pm to 3:30 pm because of the Open House at the Senior High School.

(Thanks to Steve Elmore for the statistics used in this report!)

MATCH SUMMARY
HOPEWELL - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

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TIGERS DOWN NORTH HILLS IN THREE STRAIGHT

The Lady Tigers took care of their neighborhood rivals, the North Hills Indians, in three straight games at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  NA won the first game, 25-19, game two 25-17, before dominating in the third game, 25-8.  

Statistically, the Tigers dominated.  At the net, it was senior MH Rachel Schillinger with six kills, senior OH Katie Elmore with six kills and sophomore OH Michele Osterrieder with five kills and seven passes to target.  Leading the passing attack was senior setter Cara Davies with 8 perfect passes to target while senior opposite Caitlin Krepp connected on seven, senior DS Marie Trombulak picked up six passes, and senior setter Amanda Posteraro posted five PTT.  Posteraro set up 12 kills while sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik set 8.  Davies and Krepp added seven service aces each for the Lady Tigers. 

The win gave NA a 3-2 record in section play and improved their overall mark to 5-2.  The Lady Tigers will be on the road tonight when they travel to Hopewell to meet the top AA team in the WPIAL and the #1 ranked team overall in the PIAA.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

(Special thanks again to Steve Elmore for the stats used in this report!)

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0

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LADY TIGER COMEBACK BEATS BUTLER, 3-1

After dropping the first game, 25-19, the Lady Tigers rallied to win three straight and defeat the Tornado, 3-1, at Butler High School on Thursday night.  In game two, NA prevailed, 25-18, and then went on to win games three and four, 25-20, and 25-23.

Senior MH Rachel Schillinger was tough at the net again with 19 kills, six blocks, 5 assisted blocks, and 11 perfect passes to target.  Senior MH Julienne Moots had 12 kills while sophomore OH Michele Osterrieder picked up 11 kills along with seven digs.  Senior OH Katie Elmore had 1 solo and 9 assisted blocks.  Sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik had four solo and nine assisted blocks to go along with 21 assists on kills.  The Tiger passing game was sharp with senior setter Amanda Posteraro setting 28 kills, senior DS Marie Trombulak hitting on 16 perfect passes, senior setter Cara Davies recording 15 perfect passes along with 10 digs and 2 service aces, and senior opposite Kelly Scherer coming up with 8 digs.

The win lifted the NA section record to 2-2, and upped the overall mark to 4-2.  The Lady Tigers will be at home on Tuesday night when they host rival North Hills in a section match.  The scheduled starting time is set for 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER - 1

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SENECA VALLEY TOPS LADY TIGERS, 3-0

The Lady Tigers made it interesting for two of the three games, but in the end, Seneca Valley defeated NA, 3-0, at Seneca Valley  High School on Tuesday night.  In the first game, the Rams eked out a 27-25 win before controlling play in game two with a 25-10 victory.  In the third game, the Lady Tigers came close but dropped a 25-23 decision.

Senior MH Rachel Schillinger led NA statistically with 7 kills, 6 perfect passes to target, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 service aces.  Sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik posted 12 assists and three blocks while sophomore OH MIchele Osterrieder recorded nine kills.  Senior DS Marie Trombulak added seven perfect passes and nine digs while senior setter Cara Davies had 7 perfect passes and senior OH Caitlin Krepp posted 5 digs.  Senior setter Amanda Posteraro set 13 kills while senior MH Julienne Moots had two blocks.

The loss dropped the NA section record to 1-2, their overall mark to 3-2.  The Lady Tigers will be back in action again tomorrow night when they travel to Butler to meet the Tornado in a section match.  The scheduled starting time is 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

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LADY TIGERS BEATEN IN QUARTERFINALS OF NA INVITATIONAL

Coach Dan Schall's Lady Tigers finished in 4th place in pool play and were defeated by Richland (Johnstown), 26-24, in the quarterfinals of the NA Invitational on Saturday at the Senior High gym.  NA defeated Horseheads (NY) and Sweet Home (NY) twice, split with Farrell, Mt. Lebanon, Richland, McDowell and lost twice to Susquehannock.  NA finished 7-7 in pool play.  Susquehannock defeated McDowell, 25-12, to win the tournament.

Senior MH Rachel Schillinger posted 30 kills, 8 blocks,  and 11 perfect passes to target to pace the Lady Tigers.  Sophomore OH Michele Osterrieder added 26 kills, senior MH Julienne Moots recorded 14 kills and 11 blocks while junior MH Ellen Howarth chipped in with 11 kills and 10 blocks.  Senior setter Amanda Posteraro had 43 assists and 12 digs while sophomore setter Allyson Hodnik contributed 37 assists.  Senior setter Cara Davies came through with 8 service aces, 24 perfect passes and 16 digs with senior DS Marie Trombulak adding 21 digs, 7 aces, and 17 perfect passes.  Senior opposite Kelly Scherer recorded 17 digs, senior opposite Caitlin Krepp had 12 perfect passes and senior OH Morgan Fitzgerald posted 15 digs for NA.

The Lady Tigers will be on the road Tuesday night when they travel to Seneca Valley to meet the Raiders in a section match.  Starting time is set for 7:00 pm at Seneca.

NA INVITATIONAL
North Allegheny Senior High Gym
Saturday, September 18, 2004

MATCH RESULTS

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WPIAL SECTION 3
STANDINGS
as of 10/13/04

* - qualified for WPIAL playoffs

SCORES

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GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS
WPIAL CLASS AAA
as of 10/19/04

PENNSYLVANIA VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION
PIAA RANKINGS
as of 11/2/04

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WPIAL GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL - 2004

The Lady Tigers will compete again in Class AAA, along with 30 other teams.  Three teams from each section will qualify for participation in WPIAL championship play at the completion of the regular season.  Ties in section records for first place will not be broken.  Both teams will enter the tournament and be declared section winners.  Ties for second and third place will be broken by head-to-head competition.  If a tie persists after the head-to-head competition format is applied, both teams will enter the playoff round.  Three way ties will be broken in the following manner:

1.  Section records of the tied teams will be compiled.
2.  The team that has the best numerical record among the tied teams will be the qualifier.
3.  If the tie cannot clearly be broken, all tied teams will enter the tournament.

All matches will be played with the best of five game format.

Three WPIAL teams will qualify for the state championships on November 12-13, 2004.

CLASS AAA - 31 TEAMS

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org