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THREE LADY TIGERS RECEIVE POST-SEASON HONORS

Three members of the Lady Tigers were named to the WPIAL Class AAA All-Star teams as selected by the coaches for their play during the past season.  Junior setter Allyson Hodnik was selected to the second team while junior right side hitter Michele Osterrieder and freshman outside hitter Jackie Lang were chosen for the third team.  All three will return next season.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALLYSON, MICHELE AND JACKIE!!!

WPIAL CLASS AAA ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

THIRD TEAM

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LADY TIGER COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AS GREENSBURG SALEM WINS, 3-2

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

With the Lady Tigers down two games to none, senior MH Ellen Howarth sparked a comeback that saw NA win two consecutive games to tie the match at 2-2.  In the fifth game, Greensburg Salem downed the Lady Tigers, 15-9, at Plum High School on Tuesday night to eliminate NA from the WPIAL Class AAA tournament.

The Golden Lions took game one, 25-20, and followed with an impressive 25-14 victory in the second game.  NA regrouped, however, with Coach Dan Schall making some changes in the Lady Tiger attack.  NA came back to down the Lions, 25-17, in game three and 25-19 in game four.  In the fifth and final game, Greensburg opened a 5-0 lead and held on for a 15-9 victory and the match.

In the first game, Greensburg Salem opened a 5-2 lead early behind the hitting of junior Rachel Roddy.  A service ace by junior setter Allyson Hodnik and several hitting errors by the Lions put the score at 7-4.  At this point in the match, the power went out at Plum!  After a delay of over sixteen minutes, play resumed.  After a Lion hitting error, a kill by Howarth on a GS overpass and a kill by senior OH Lisa Gleason brought the Lady Tigers to within one at 8-7.  After the Lions extended the lead to 13-9, junior Michele Osterrieder added a kill, and a violation by the Lions cut the margin to 13-11.  After senior Terra Moscalink hit cross court for a point, the Lady Tigers responded to take their first lead of the game, 16-15,  behind the hitting of Howarth and freshman OH Jackie Lang.  The teams exchanged points with Howarth picking up two kills as the game remained tied at 19-19.  Sophomore MB Maria Nolan gave NA a 20-19 lead, but Roddy then took over as she scored three straight points on kills.  A kill by Moscalink, an NA hitting error and an ace by Kacie Lakin finished off the Lady Tigers as the Lions scored the last six points in a 25-20 victory.

Game two was dominated by Greensburg Salem.  After a cross court hit by Osterrieder tied the game at 4-4, Roddy's kill down the middle gave the Lions the lead for good.  Strong hits by Moscalink, 6-0 senior MH Samantha Butler, and a dink by junior setter Ashlee Miller led the Lions to an 11-7 advantage.  NA tried to get back in the game with an ace by Hodnik, another by sophomore Alyssa Vukson, and a kill by Howarth that brought the Lady Tigers within two at 15-13.  Down the stretch, however, NA would score just one more point as Greensburg Salem went on to a 25-14 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.

In game three, Lady Tigers changed up their front line hitting and it paid off as NA jumped off to a 7-1 lead.  Kills by Nolan and Osterrieder, along with a block by Lang led the charge.  After Roddy picked up two points and NA added a pair of hitting errors, the Lions cut the margin to 7-5.   The Lady Tigers responded with two kills by Lang, a left handed tip by Hodnik and several hitting errors by the Lions to increase the margin to 13-7.  Another left handed tip by Hodnik, a kill by Gleason, and a block by Nolan pushed the lead to 17-10.  After senior Jennifer Balest posted a kill and a hitting error cut the lead to 17-10, the Lady Tigers kept the pressure on behind kills from Osterrieder and Howarth.  After Gleason's kill increased the lead to 24-17, a hitting error on a serve by senior Constance Gardzinski ended the game as NA picked up a 25-17 victory to cut the lead in the match to 2-1.

The Lady Tigers picked up where they left off in game four.  After an early 5-4 Lion lead, Lang scored twice on hits down the line to put NA on top for good at 6-5.  Kills by Howarth and Gleason increased the lead to 9-6 before Butler and Balest were able to cut the margin to 10-8.  Roddy picked up a kill and a block to make it an 11-10 game, but Lang and Howarth answered to push the lead to 15-12.  NA then took over.  Howarth put back an overpass, Lang served an ace, Gleason scored off the GS blockers, Gardzinski served another ace, and Nolan added a kill as the NA lead went to 22-14.  A hitting error by the Lions and yet another ace by Gardzinski gave the Lady Tigers a 24-14 advantage.  Greensburg rallied to score five straight points, but Nolan scored on a slide to end things in game four with NA winning, 25-19.  The match was tied at 2-2.

In the final game, the Lions came out strong to take a 5-0 lead with four straight points by Balest leading the way, and NA never recovered.  After a Lion block went out of bounds to give the Lady Tigers their first point, Lang added a kill and Osterrieder blocked for a point to cut the margin to 5-3..  Lang scored down the line to answer a kill by 6-0 junior Mary Cook as the score went to 7-5.  After a lift by NA, Osterrieder sent a strong hit just inside the back line to keep NA within two at 8-6.  The Lions then scored three straight points, two on NA hitting errors to push the margin to 11-6.  The teams exchanged points before Gleason's kill cut the lead to 12-8.  After a hitting error by GS made it 12-9, two hitting errors and a service ace by Alex Kubler finished the game and the match with Greensburg Salem winning the game, 15-9, and the match, three games to win.

It was a spirited comeback for the Lady Tigers in games three and four.  In the final game, the initial 5-0 run was too much for NA to overcome as the Lions prevailed.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Ellen Howarth as the Player of the Match.  Howarth recorded nine kills and two blocks to pace NA.  The loss gave NA a final record of 10-7 on the season.  The semifinals of the WPIAL tournament are now set with Greensburg Salem meeting Pine-Richland and Baldwin taking on Moon.

MATCH SUMMARY
GREENSBURG SALEM - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2

WPIAL CLASS AAA GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

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LADY TIGERS TOP TRINITY, 3-1, IN
FIRST ROUND OF PLAYOFFS

To listen to a replay, click here!

Led by strong play at the net and consistent setting by junior Allyson Hodnik, the Lady Tigers defeated Trinity, 3-1, in the first round of the WPIAL Playoffs at Pine-Richland on Thursday night.  NA won the first two games, dropped the third, and came back to win the fourth and final game, 25-14.

In the first game, the Lady Tigers jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead behind the hitting of sophomore MB Maria Nolan and senior MH Ellen Howarth.  After Trinity sophomore Natalie Abel picked up a point on a dink, freshman Jackie Lang took over with a tip, a blast down the line, a kill down the middle and another hard swing down the line.  A kill by junior OH Michele Osterrieder and a block by Hodnik increaed the NA lead to 12-3.  An ace by Lang and a kill by senior OH Lisa Gleason were matched by kills from the Hillers' Caitie Morgan and Abel as the score went to 14-5.  After Hodnik served an ace, junior Erin Fargo answered with a Trinity ace, and a cross court kill by Abel cut the lead to 15-8.  Kills by Gleason and Lang, along with a Trinity hitting error, pushed the lead to 19-8 before Abel came back with two kills.  Osterrieder scored on a dink, but Abel answered with a service ace as the score went to 20-12.  Down the stretch, kills by Lang, Howarth and Nolan put the Lady Tigers at game point, 24-14.  A kill by Hodnik ended game one with NA winning, 25-14.

Trinity played better in game two as the Hillers grabbed an early 3-1 lead.  After a kill by Osterrieder and a service error cut the lead to 4-3, the Tigers committed three hitting errors as Trinity took a 7-4 lead.  A kill and a block by Gleason, along with a left handed dump by Hodnik and a service ace by senior Constance Gardzinski, gave NA their first lead at 9-7.  After Trinity tied the game at 10-10, the Lady Tigers gradually pulled away.  Kills by Osterrieder and Lang put NA ahead, 12-10.  The Lady Tigers then went on a 7-2 run behind the hitting of Lang, Howarth and Osterrieder to push the margin to 19-12.  A kill by Abel and several NA hitting errors brought the Hillers back to within five at 20-15.  Hodnik and Howarth added kills before Trinity came back with kills by senior Christine Behling and Fargo as the score went to 23-18.  With the Lady Tigers leading, 24-20, Nolan found an open space and ended game two with the Lady Tigers picking up a 25-20 victory.

Game three belonged to Trinity.  Capitalizing on numerous NA errors, the Hillers moved out to a 9-3 lead in the early going.  During the run senior Kelsey Cataldo served up a pair of aces.  A left-handed kill by Hodnik and a blast down the middle by Gleason cut the lead to 10-5, but it was not to be NA's game.  After Abel dropped a kill just inside the back line, junior Nicole Van Horne served another ace, and NA misplays pushed the lead to 15-6.  Gleason and Osterrieder sparked a brief comeback, but a kill by Abel on an NA overpass and yet another ace by Fargo pushed the margin to 18-9.  A kill by Gleason and a strong hit by Lang cut the lead to 18-11, but two kills by Abel and another ace by Cataldo pushed the margin to 21-11.  Abel was able to push the lead to 24-14 with a pair of aces on a strong jump serve.  Fittingly, Abel finished off the Lady Tigers will a kill as Trinity won game three, 25-17.

The Lady Tigers regrouped to win the fourth game.  The lead went back and forth early with neither side gaining more than a one-point advantage.  With the score tied at 5-5, Gleason sparked a 8-2 run with a cross court kill.  Osterrieder followed with another kill, Lang and Nolan blocked for a point, Lang and Nolan both had kills as NA took a 10-5 lead.  After a Morgan kill, NA answered with two more kills by Lang and another by Howarth on a slide as the NA advantage went to 13-7.  After Abel scored on a blast down the line, the Lady Tigers answered with a kill by Lang, another by Howarth and a service ace by Osterrieder.  Abel came back to score three of the next four points to bring Trinity closer at 18-12.  NA was not to be denied, however, as they outscored the Hillers, 7-2, down the stretch.  A kill by Osterrieder and several hitting errors pushed the lead to 21-13.  After Osterrieder scored with a hit down the middle, Behling answered for Trinity.  The Lady Tigers then closed out the match with kills by Nolan, senior MH Sarah Ralutz, and Osterrieder as NA won game four, 25-14, and the match, three games to one.

It was a good win for the Lady Tigers as they outplayed Trinity in three of the four games.  A number of Lady Tigers played well but, for her consistency throughout the match, the North Allegheny Sports Network named senior Lisa Gleason as the Player of the Match.

The win advanced the Lady Tigers into the quarterfinal round of the playoffs where they will meet Greensburg Salem. 

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  TRINITY - 1

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MOON COMEBACK DOWNS TIGERS, 3-1, ON SENIOR NIGHT

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

After winning the first game, the Lady Tigers saw Moon come back to win the next three as they defeated NA, 3-1, at the Senior High gym on Wednesday night on Senior Night.  The Lady Tigers edged Moon, 27-25, before dropping game two, 25-22.  In the third game, NA had a 19-16 lead late, but the Moon Tigers came back to win, 25-21.  In the third and final game, Moon was able to take an early lead and hold on for a 25-16 win and the match.

In the first game, neither team was able to gain an advantage as the score remained close throughout.  After Moon took a 3-2 lead on a dink by Northwestern recruit junior Lindsay Kresch, the Lady Tigers tied the game on a kill by senior Sarah Ralutz and a Moon hitting error.  Moon used several NA hitting errors and kills by Kresch and junior setter Lauren Fanelli to take a 9-6 lead.  NA then went on a 10-1 run.  Kills by junior OH Michele Osterrieder and freshman OH Jackie Lang sparked the rally.  Moon came back behind Kresch, however, to cut the lead to 17-15 before Osterrieder scored on a cross-court hit.  A Kresch kill and a left-handed tip by Fanelli cut the margin to one before Ralutz and senior OH Lisa Gleason answered to make it a 21-17 NA lead.  After Kresch scored another kill, Osterrieder pushed the lead t 23-18.  Moon was not finished, however, as Fanelli put down an overpass, senior MH Jessica Pritchard blocked for a point, Kresch put away another kill, and Pritchard scored on a cross-court hit to give Moon a 24-23 advantage.  After junior setter Allyson Hodnik tied the game on a block, a service error put Moon ahead again.  Osterrieder tied the game on a big hit down the middle and put NA ahead with a block.  Senior MH Ellen Howarth and Lang combined on a block to end the first game with the Lady Tigers pulling out a 27-25 victory.

Moon took an early lead in game two as they built a 9-3 advantage behind the hitting of Kresch.  Kills by Ralutz and Howarth brought NA back to within two at 9-7, but junior MH Adrianna Maiullo served an ace and added a kill to push the lead back to 11-7.  NA rallied to tie the game at 14-14 with kills by Howarth, Ralutz and Osterrieder along with a service ace by senior DS Constance Gardzinski.  Two kills by Kresch made it 16-14, but NA answered with a Ralutz put back of a Moon overpass.  Osterrieder matched a kill by Maiullo as the teams exchanged points.  After Moon built a 20-17 lead, the Tigers rallied again to tie the game at 22-22.  Osterrieder scored on two kills, Lang went off the Moon blockers, and a Moon hitting error were part of the scoring.  After a Moon time out, the Moon Lady Tigers scored three quick points to put away NA, 25-22, in game two.

The third game was nip and tuck for most of the contest.  The Lady Tigers took an early 4-2 lead behind the hitting of Osterrieder and Hodnik.  A left-handed tip by Hodnik, a service ace by sophomore DS Alyssa Vukson, and a kill by Gleason pushed NA to a 9-7 advantage.  After Pritchard picked up a kill, a block by Osterrieder and Howarth made it 11-8.  Moon rallied to take a 13-12 lead with kills by Kresch and a service ace by senior OH Kayleigh Knerr sparking the run.  With Moon up 14-13, Hodnik scored on yet another left-handed dump as the Tigers went up by one at 15-14.  After an NA hitting error allowed Moon to tie the score, Hodnik struck again with the left hand to push it to 17-16.  Gleason put back an overpass and Osterrieder scored on a kill to push the margin to 19-16.  After another Moon timeout, Moon took charger with a 9-2 run to win the game.  A kill by Knerr, another by Maiullo and an NA hitting error tied the game at 19-19.  With the score tied at 20-20, the Lady Tigers committed four straight hitting errors as Moon took a 24-20 lead.  Lang was able to score on a kill, but Kresch went off the NA blockers for the game winner as Moon took a 25-21 victory in game three.

In the fourth game, Moon jumped ahead early.  Behind the hitting of Kresch, Pritchard, Fanelli and sophomore OH Jessica Pattyn, the Moon Tigers built a 14-5 lead.  NA battled back to cut the lead to 16-13.  Lang had a pair of kills, Hodnik a block, Gleason two kills, and sophomore Maria Nolan a kill as the NA Lady Tigers fought back to cut the lead to three.  Moon regrouped, however, as Kresch, Maiullo and Kresch again posted kills to push the margin back to five at 19-14.  After Gleason scored with a big hit down the middle, Moon went on a 6-1 run to end the game.  Pritchard's dink gave Moon a 25-16 win in game four, and a three games to one victory in the match.

It was exciting volleyball as both teams battled hard in preparation for the playoffs.  NA got good performances from a number of seniors on Senior Night.  Ralutz, Howarth, and Gleason were strong at the net.  In the back, Grace Kimmich, Rachael Mancini and Constance Gardzinski had a number of digs to keep NA alive.  It was a junior, however, that the North Allegheny Sports Network selected as the Player of the Match.  Setter Allyson Hodnik was consistent throughout the match with her sets and her scoring.

The loss dropped the overall NA record to 9-6 as they get ready for the WPIAL playoffs next week.  The WPIAL Volleyball Committee will meet tomorrow to decide the pairings.  We will post the information when it is announced.  The Tigers will host the second NA Invitational this weekend as a final warmup.

MATCH SUMMARY
MOON - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1

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LADY TIGERS DOWN NORTH HILLS IN THREE STRAIGHT

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

It took less than an hour for the Lady Tigers to shut out rival North Hills, 3-0, at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  NA jumped off to quick leads in all three games to win easily.  In game one, the Lady Tigers won by a 25-8 score followed by 25-12 and 25-5 wins in games two and three.

Coach Dan Schall used his entire squad throughout the match.  Strong play at the net from junior Michele Osterrieder, freshman Jackie Lang, and seniors Lisa Gleason and Ellen Howarth was too much for the Indians smaller front line.  Junior Allyson Hodnik and sophomore Caitlin Decker shared time setting the NA hitters.  In the back row, top servers sophomore Allyson Vukson and senior Constance Gardzinski kept NH off balance with tough serves.

In the first game, the Lady Tigers jumped off to a 5-0 behind the serves of Gardzinski and kills by Osterrieder and Lang.  NA extended the margin to 11-2 with Lang, senior MB Sarah Ralutz, and Gleason recording kills.  After the Indians picked up a point on an NA violation, Gleason took over with four kills, Vukson served a pair of aces, and Osterrieder and Howarth added two more kills as NA raced out to a 20-5 advantage.   After Gardzinski served up another ace, the Indians scored on kills by Alyssa Osman and Nicole McKay.  With the lead at 24-8, Lang finished off North Hills with a strong swing as the Lady Tigers took game one, 25-8.

Once again in game two, NA was dominant from the outset.  With the Lady Tigers leading, 3-2, senior OH Rachael Mancini served four straight, including a pair of aces, with Lang and junior MB Megan Durbiano picking up kills as NA built a 7-2 lead.  After Osman served an ace and a Tiger hitting error cut the lead to 7-5, Howarth put away a quick set.  Kills by Dee Burnett and McKay brought the Indians to within two at 9-7 before Lang stopped the run with a kill.  The Lady Tigers then went on an 11-3 run to put the game out of reach.  Gardzinski served five straight points, including an ace, as Howarth scored on a slide, Hodnik dropped in a pair of left handed dumps, and Howarth put away a NH overpass, with the Indians contributing several hitting errors during the run.  With NA leading 24-12, junior Marissa Posteraro served an ace to finish game two with the Lady Tigers picking up a 25-12 victory.

Game three was all NA as the Tigers built a 13-1 lead.  Decker served six straight, including three aces, as the Lady Tigers scored the first six points of the game.  After an NA hitting error, Gleason took over to serve five straight, including an ace.  After Posteraro served another ace, a kill by junior OH Sydney Schwab and a block by; Schwab and Durbiano gave the Tigers a 15-2 lead.  A kill by Osterrieder and several hitting errors by both sides put the score at 18-5.  After a net violation by NH, junior DS Julie Stas served out the match with seven straight points including two aces.  Fittingly, a North Hills hitting error ended the game with NA winning the third game, 25-5, and the match, three games to none.

The Lady Tigers got contributions from a number of players throughout the match.  For her serving efforts throughout the match, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected senior Constance Gardzinski as the Player of the Match.

With the win, NA finished in second place with a record of 7-3.  The overall Lady Tiger mark improved to 9-5 as they get ready for the WPIAL playoffs.  NA will host Moon tonight in a preview of the 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 SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0

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LADY TIGERS EDGE BUTLER, 3-2

Coach Dan Schall's Lady Tigers had to come from behind at Butler on Thursday night to defeat the Golden Tornado, 3-2.  After taking a 23-20 lead in game one, Butler scored the final five points to win, 25-23.  In the second game, the Lady Tigers regrouped to win by a 25-12 score.  The Tornado continued to play tough, however, and won game three, 25-21.

The Lady Tigers were forced to win the final two games to take the match.  In game four, it was a 25-18 victory, and in the fifth and final game, the Lady Tigers prevailed, 15-7.  Coach Dan Schall said, "Butler played a very good match with some great defense."  Leading the way for NA were freshman Jackie Lang with 18 kills, senior Lisa Gleason with 11, and sophomore Maria Nolan with 8 and a .357 percentage for the match.  Coach Schall added, "Maria Nolan had her best offensive match of the season; she continues to improve offensively."  Senior Constance Gardzinski and sophomore Alyssa Vukson served well throughout the match.

The win improved the NA section record to 6-3, good for a second place tie with Shaler, a 3-0 loser to Seneca Valley last night.  The overall Lady Tiger record improved to 8-5.  NA will host section rival North Hills on Tuesday night at the Senior High gym.  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
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER - 2

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LADY TIGERS SHUT OUT
SENECA VALLEY, 3-0

It took a while and it was played in two different gyms, but the Lady Tigers were persistent and defeated the Raiders, 3-0, on Tuesday night.  In the first game with NA leading 6-3, the lights went out in the gym!  Both teams packed up their gear and played the rest of the match in the middle school gym.

The Tigers were able to hang on to win game one, 25-19.  In game two, the Raiders jumped off to an 8-3 advantage before NA came back to tie the game at 11-11.  From there, the Lady Tigers were able to eke out a 25-22 victory.  In the third and final game, the Raiders again put up a good fight, but NA prevailed in the end with a 25-20 win to put away the match, three games to none.

Senior Lisa Gleason recorded 12 kills, freshman Jackie Lang added 10, while sophomore Maria Nolan and junior Michele Osterrieder posted 6 each.  Junior setter Alyssa Hodnik had 34 assists while Nolan had seven blocks.  According to Head Coach Dan Schall, "It was a good win for us.  We had to play some tough points throughout the match and we responded well."

The win ended a two-match losing streak for NA and improved the section record to 5-3.  The Lady Tigers will travel to Butler tomorrow night for another section match.  The starting time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SENECA VALLEY - 0

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PINE-RICHLAND DOWNS LADY TIGERS
IN THREE STRAIGHT

The Lady Tigers were defeated by the #1 ranked Pine-Richland Rams at the Senior High gym on Thursday night.  The Rams took three straight games, all by same score of 25-15.  Pine-Richland was led by Jamel Nicholas, middle blocker Ali Stitt, and outside hitter Kendall Ashworth.

For the Lady Tigers, junior Michele Osterrieder and sophomore Maria Nolan recorded 5 kills each.  Osterrieder added six digs and junior setter Allyson Hodnik posted 22 assists.  Coach Dan Schall said, "Pine-Richland knows the game well, they compete hard, and they do not give away any easy points."

The loss was the second straight for the Lady Tigers and dropped them to third place in Section 3 with a record of 4-3.  The overall season record is 6-5.  NA will travel to Seneca Valley on Tuesday night to meet the Raiders in a 7:00 pm section contest.

MATCH SUMMARY
PINE-RICHLAND - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

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SHALER SHUTS OUT
LADY TIGERS, 3-0

It was not a good night for the Lady Tigers' volleyball team at Shaler on Monday night.  Led by the blocking of junior Jess Antosz, the Titans were dominant at the net in a 3-0 victory over NA.  Shaler won the first game, 25-19, took the second, 25-16, and edged the Lady Tigers, 28-26, to win the third game and the match.

Senior OH Lisa Gleason and junior OH Michele Osterrieder led NA with 6 kills each.  Sophomore Caitlin Decker posted 20 assists, playing for the injured junior setter Allyson Hodnik.  Coach Dan Schall said, "Shaler was clearly the better team last night in every facet of the game."

The loss dropped NA into a second place tie with Shaler.  On Thursday night, the Lady Tigers will host #1 ranked Pine-Richland in a 7:00 pm 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
SHALER - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

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LADY TIGERS DOWN
FOX CHAPEL, 3-1

The Lady Tigers came back after the tough loss to Hopewell on Wednesday night with a 3-1 non-section victory over Fox Chapel at the Senior High gym on Thursday night.  After losing a hard-fought 26-24 decision in game one, NA came back to win three straight against the Foxes.  In game two, the Lady Tigers prevailed, 25-19, in game three, 25-22, and in the fourth and final game, 25-21.

Leading the way for NA was the play at the net by the Lady Tiger top hitters.  Senior Lisa Gleason had 12 kills, junior Michele Osterrieder recorded 11, and sophomore Maria Nolan seven.  Osterrieder hit .500 for the match, and Coach Dan Schall commented, "Michele Osterrieder had one of her best all-around matches.  She is becoming more consistent as a hitter and came up with some kills in clutch situations last night"

On of the reasons for the success of the NA hitters has been the play of junior setter Allyson Hodnik.  Coach Schall said, "She continues to do an excellent job at the setting position."

The win improved the overall NA record to 6-3 on the season.  Coach Schall said, "The last two matches were critical in preparing us for the second half of section play".  The Lady Tigers will travel to third-place Shaler on Monday night for a 7:00 pm section match.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  FOX CHAPEL - 1

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LADY TIGER RALLY FALLS JUST SHORT AS HOPEWELL WINS, 3-2

The Lady Tigers fell behind, two games to none, but rallied back to win the next two games.  After coming from behind in game five, NA took a 14-13 lead, but Hopewell was able to pull out a 17-15 win.  It was a good showing by the Lady Tigers against the #1 ranked team in Class AA, and the #6 ranked team in the overall PIAA rankings.

In game one, the Lady Tigers committed numerous errors and fell behind early as Hopewell took a 25-12 victory.  In the second game, NA came back to come close, losing 26-24.  Coach Dan Schall said, "To come back and play well after the first two games showed poise and resilience."  In the third game, the Lady Tigers played well and went on to a 25-22 victory.   In game four, Hopewell extended the Tigers to the end but NA prevailed, 26-24.

In the fifth and final game, the Lady Tigers fell behind 8-3 and 11-6 but came back behind the serving of senior DS Constance Gardzinski to take a 12-11 lead.  NA pushed the lead to 14-13 and had match point but could not convert.  The Vikings were able to win the game, 17-15, and the match, three games to two.

According to Coach Schall, "It was great volleyball all night.  There were volleys in which each team was getting five or six good swings, and the defense on both sides elevated.  It was a great match."

Statistically, freshman Jackie Lang recorded 19 kills and 14 digs to lead the way.  Junior setter Allyson Hodnik had 44 assists with junior Michele Osterrieder adding 11 kills and senior Sarah Ralutz eight.  Sophomore Alyssa Vukson posted 15 digs for the Lady Tigers.

With the loss, the overall NA record fell to 5-3 on the season.  The Lady Tigers will host Fox Chapel tonight with match time scheduled for 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
HOPEWELL - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2

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LADY TIGERS SHUT OUT
NORTH HILLS, 3-0

The Lady Tigers defeated rival North Hills, 3-0, on Tuesday night at North Hills.  NA got good performances from a number of players as they won the first game, 25-8, the second contest, 25-15, and the third and final game, 25-17.

After winning the first game easily, 25-8, a number of players came off the bench to contribute in games two and three.  Junior MB Megan Durbiano, junior DS Maureen Sharick, junior MB Christy Parks, and sophomore setter Caitlin Decker provided solid play in the victories.  Sophomore Maria Nolan was very strong offensively throughout the match at the middle blocking position.

Statistical leaders included freshman Jackie Lang with 4 kills while sophomore DS Alyssa Vukson and junior setter Allyson Hodnik recorded three service aces.

The victory improved the NA section record to 4-1 as the section schedule reached the midway point.  The overall Lady Tiger record improved to 5-2.  The Lady Tigers will host Hopewell and Fox Chapel the next two nights in non-section matches.  The starting time is scheduled for 7:00 pm for both matches.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0

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LADY TIGERS LOSE TO MOON IN SEMIFINALS OF NA INVITATIONAL

The Moon Tigers defeated the Lady Tigers, 1-0, in the semifinals of the NA Invitational on Saturday at the Senior High gym.  Mt. Lebanon defeated Moon for the championship.

Ten teams for the championship of the North Allegheny Invitational.  Some of the top teams from western Pennsylvania along with Richland (Johnstown).  Horseheads (New York) and Hatboro-Horsham from eastern Pennsylvania are also in the field.  Action is scheduled to get under way at 8:30 pm.

There will be two pools of five teams each.  Pool play will consist of two 25-point games with no cap.  Playoffs will consist of one 25-point game with no cap.  Trophies will be awarded to the 1st and 2nd place teams.

NORTH ALLEGHENY INVITATIONAL
Saturday, September 24, 2005

RESULTS

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LADY TIGERS DROP BUTLER IN THREE STRAIGHT

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

Coach Dan Schall's Lady Tigers wasted no time in defeating the Butler Golden Tornado, 3-0, at the Senior High gym on Thursday night.  It took a little over an hour for NA to win three straight by scores of 25-15, 25-21, and 25-12.  NA's domination at the net was backed up by tough serving that resulted in 16 service aces.

In game one, Butler stayed close early before sophomore Alyssa Vukson came in to serve.  Vukson served six straight points, including three aces, to put NA on top for good at 9-5.  Butler came back behind the serving of sophomore Samantha Harris and hitting of 6-0 freshman Becky Smith to close with one at 10-9.  At this point, the Lady Tigers took over.  After freshman OH Jackie Lang served an ace, a service error and kill by senior OH Lisa Gleason made it 13-10.  Senior DS Constance Gardzinski stepped back to serve three straight points, including an ace, as the score went to 16-11.  With junior setter Allyson Hodnik serving, NA went on a 6-0 run.  Two kills by Gleason, a block by sophomore MB Maria Nolan, and a pair of Butler hitting errors highlighted the run.  With NA up 24-15, Lang put the Tornado away with a big hit as NA won game one, 25-15.

Butler again played well early in game two.  The hitting of senior OH Abby Herrit and sophomore OH Ashley Grenet offset the play of Lang, Gleason, Nolan and senior MB Sarah Ralutz as the Tornado tied the game at 8-8.  Once again, the Lady Tigers took control.  Nolan scored on a cross-court hit, Lang added a kill, senior OH Rachael Mancini served an ace, and Butler committed a pair of hitting errors as NA opened a 13-8 advantage.  After Butler closed to 15-10, Lang drove two kills down the middle and junior DS Marissa Posteraro served yet another ace as the Lady Tigers opened a 19-11 lead.  After a Gleason kill off the Butler blockers and a Nolan put back on a Butler overpass, the Tornado rallied to cut the margin to 21-18 behind the hitting of junior MH Amy Achesinski.  Junior Michele Osterrieder scored on a dink and Lang went off the Butler blockers to push the lead to 23-19, but Smith and an NA hitting error made it 23-21.  Osterrieder then ended the game with a tip off the Tornado blockers and a serving ace as NA won game two, 25-21.

The third game was no contest.  After sophomore setter Katie Willison gave Butler a 1-0 lead, the Tigers scored eight straight.  Again it was the serving of Vukson who put away five consecutive aces as NA took an 8-1 lead.  At this point, Coach Schall began to substitute liberally using his entire bench for the remainder of the game.  A kill by junior MB Christy Parks was answered by two kills by Herrit as Butler closed to within 10-4.  Lang then scored with a big hit down the middle and followed with a serving ace.  Hodnik picked up a point on a left-handed tip before junior DS Julie Stas served four straight points including an ace as NA opened a 17-6 lead.  After Hodnik and Nolan combined for a block, Nolan added another point on a block as the Tiger lead went to 20-9.  With NA ahead, 22-12, junior Opp. Megan Durbiano blocked for a point, sophomore setter Caitlin Decker added a left-handed tip, and sophomore DS Jackie Fitzgerald ended the game on an appropriate note with a service ace.  NA won game three, 25-12, and the match, 3-0.

It was a good consistent effort by the Lady Tigers.  Gleason, Nolan, and Osterrieder were tough at the net and Hodnik set well throughout the match.  Statistically, Osterrieder and Gleason had five kills.  Lang had a great match scoring on strong hits that included 10 kills, passing well, serving well, and digging many balls, and for her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Jackie Lang as the Player of the Match.

The win improved the NA section record to 3-1, the overall mark to 4-2.  The Lady Tigers will host the NA Invitational tomorrow with action beginning at 8:30 am.  Ten teams will compete for the tournament title.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER - 0

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WPIAL GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL 2005

The Lady Tigers will compete in Class AAA again 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 be broken, all tied teams will enter the tournament.

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

Three WPIAL Class AAA teams will qualify for the state championships to be held on November 11-12, 2005.

CLASS AAA - 31 TEAMS

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