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WPIAL FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS!

Photos Courtesy of Jeff Gleason

MATT MILLER, MICHAEL KREPP NAMED TO WPIAL FIRST TEAM
ALL-STARS

Senior OH Matt Miller and junior setter Michael Krepp were selected to the WPIAL Class AAA First Team All-Stars as announced at the WPIAL Championship at LaRoche College.  Senior opposite Adam Miller and senior libero Matt Robertson were chosen for the second team all-stars while senior MB Freddy Haas was given honorable mention.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MATT, MICHAEL, ADAM, MATT AND FREDDY!!!!

WPIAL CLASS AAA ALL-STARS

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TIGERS FALL TO CENTRAL DAUPHIN,
3-2, IN PIAA SEMIFINALS

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The Tigers built a 2-1 lead in the PIAA Class AAA semifinals only to see Central Dauphin rally to take the next two games and end the NA season with a 3-2 victory at Penn State on Saturday afternoon.  NA lost the first game, 25-20, but came back to win game two, 28-26.  A 25-13 victory in game three put the Tigers in a position to advance to the championship match.  The Rams had other ideas, however, and came back to win game four, 25-20.  In the fifth and final game, it was Central Dauphin edging the Tigers, 15-13.

Senior OH Matt Miller led the Tigers at the net with 18 kills while junior OH Kyle Gregan added 15, junior OH Alex Verlinich ten, and senior opposite Adam Miller and senior MB Freddy Haas nine each.  Haas led with four blocks while Gregan posted three and junior setter Michael Krepp three.  Krepp directed the attack and recorded 53 assists along with three service aces for NA.  The passing attack was started by senior libero Matt Robertson who posted 13 perfect passes while senior DS Kevin Gleason recorded seven, and Matt Miller and junior DS Evan Buysse six each.  Defensively, Robertson led with 16 digs while Matt Miller adding 15, Buysse eight and Gleason seven.

It was a great team effort by the Tigers throughout the course of the season.  After the injury to senior OH Dennis O'Neil, the team regrouped to advance within one game of the PIAA championship.  With the loss, the Tiger season ended with a final record of 19-3 along with the WPIAL title.  Central Dauphin went onl to defeat Penn Hills, 3-2, in the championship match and take the PIAA crown.

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH SCHALL AND THE
TIGERS FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON!!!

MATCH SUMMARY
CENTRAL DAUPHIN - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2

PIAA AAA BOYS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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TIGERS WIN TWO TO ADVANCE
TO PIAA SEMIFINALS

After losing a 2-1 match to Parkland, the Tigers came back to down Hempfield, 2-1, and Pennsbury, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA tournament at Penn State on Friday.  The Tigers dropped the first match in Pool B to Parkland, 2-1, with the Trojans winning the first game, 25-21, NA taking the second by the same score, and Parkland winning game three, 29-27. 

In the second match, NA defeated the Hempfield Black Knights from District 3 with a 25-13 win in game one, a 24-26 loss in game two, and a clinching 25-15 victory in the third game.  In the final match that NA had to win, the Tigers stopped Pennsbury by defeating the Falcons, 25-20 in both games one and two while dropping the meaningless third game, 25-11.

Individually, senior OH Matt Miller led the way with 33 kills whie senior opposite Adam Miller posted 23 kills and 4 blocks.  Also at the net, junior Kyle Gregan recorded 19 kills and five blocks, junior Alex Verlinich posted 13 kills, senior Freddy Haas had 11 kills and eight blocks with junior setter Michael Krepp adding 11 kills and four blocks.  Krepp directed the attack with 74 assists on the day with senior libero Matt Robertson recording 22 perfect passes, senior DS Kevin Gleason and junior DS Evan Buysse 18 each,  Matt Miller 14, and Verlinich eight.  Haas served five aces while Krepp added three and Robertson and Gleason one each.

Defensively, Robertson led the way with 44 digs with Matt Miller recording 17, Krepp 14, Buysse 13 and Gleason 12 for the Tigers throughout the long day.

With the second place finish in pool play, NA advanced to the semifinals.  The Tigers will meet Central Dauphin, the first place team from Pool A, this morning at 11:00 am.  The winner will move on to the final this afternoon against the winner of the Penn Hills-Parkland semifinal matchup.  Match time is scheduled for 3:00 pm.  The Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) will televise the championship match on a delayed basis tonight at 10:00 pm.  Check local listings.  To watch the final LIVE on the internet, go to: www.pcntv.com and check the website for details.

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TIGERS SWEEP GOVERNOR MIFFLIN, 3-0, TO ADVANCE TO PIAA QUARTERFINALS

The Tigers defeated Governor Mifflin in three straight games in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs at Central Cambria HS on Tuesday night.  NA edged the Mustangs, 25-23, in the first game and held off the District 3 team, 25-22, in game two.  In the third and final game, the Tigers downed Mifflin, 25-19, to capture the match and advance.  Senior OH Matt Miller and senior opposite Adam Miller led the way with ten kills each while junior setter Michael Krepp posted 33 assists, nine kills and five blocks for the winning Tigers.

Statistically, the Tigers had another good night at the net.  In addition to the Millers and Krepp, senior MB Freddy Haas posted six kills and three blocks, junior MB Kyle Gregan five kills and three blocks, and junior OH Alex Verlinich four kills.  Defensely, senior libero Matt Robertson led with 19 digs with Matt Milller adding eight and Krepp and junior DS Evan Buysse six.  Robertson recorded eight perfect passes with Matt Miller posting five.  Krepp and Robertson each had a pair of service aces.

With the win, the Tigers move on to Penn State for pool play in the quarterfinals.  NA will play in Pool B along with Parkland, Hempfield (District 3) and Pennsbury with action scheduled to get under way on Friday.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  GOVERNOR MIFFLIN - 0

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TIGERS UPSET #1 PENN HILLS, 3-0,
TO WIN WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIP

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

The Tigers won their third consecutive championship with a thrilling 3-0 upset victory over top-ranked Penn Hills at LaRoche College on Friday night.  After winning game one, 25-19, NA held off a determined Indian rally to win game two, 25-22.  The Tigers downed the Indians, 35-33, in an epic third game to secure the title.  Senior OH Matt Miller led the way with 17 kills while senior MB Freddy Haas chipped in with nine kills and four blocks.  Junior setter Michael Krepp was on target with 35 assists for the winning Tigers.

The Tigers started strong in game one with Matt Miller going off the Penn Hills blockers to give NA a 1-0 lead.  After MH Dalton Cesaratto tied the game at 2-2 and 3-3 with a pair of kills, Haas put the Tigers ahead for good, 4-3, with a kill down the middle.  Haas put back an overpass, senior opposite Adam Miller served an ace, and senior OH Rick Divosevic went off the PH front row blockers to extend the margin to 8-4.  Kills by OH Kevin Sparks and OH Micah Larson cut the margin to 8-6, but Matt Miller went down the line and a PH hitting error made it a 10-6 game.  A left handed smash by Krepp and a block by senior MB Phil Timcheck put NA on top, 13-7.  After Adam Miller scored down the line, a service error by NA and a service ace by Larkin cut the Tiger lead to 14-11.  After Sparks scored down the middle for the Indians, Haas blocked for a point and Krepp won a joust at the net to push the NA advantage to 17-12.  A pair of NA hitting errors cut the lead to 17-15 before Haas answered with a block and Matt Miller took charge with a cross court kill that hit the back line along with a blast off the PH blockers.  With NA up 20-15, Sparks answered for the Indians and a hitting error cut the lead to 20-17.  It was Matt Miller again with the answer on a cross court kill, and Haas picked up a service ace to again push the lead to five at 22-17.  After Matt Miller and Cesaratto exchanged kills, Adam Miller scored off the PH blockers to put NA at game point.  Adam Miller finished off the Indians with a kill to give the Tigers a 25-19 victory in game one and a one game to none lead in the match.

Penn Hills took an early 5-2 lead in game two behind the hitting of Sparks and several NA hitting errors.  A kill by Divosevic, along with a block and kill by Adam Miller, tied the game at 5-5 before Cesarotto scored on a left-handed tip to regain the advantage for the Indians.  After a service error tied the game, NA scored the next five points on an ace by Adam Miller, a kill by Haas down the middle, and a block by Krepp as the Tigers took an 11-6 lead.  A kill by Sparks that hit the back line and a tip by setter Rob Strauss for a point brought PH back to within three at 11-9.  Haas answered off a slide and then served three straight points to push the margin to 16-9.  Larson and Matt Miller exchanged kills before Larson went down the middle to make it an 18-11 game.  After an NA hitting error, Matt Miller went off the PH blockers and a PH hitting error gave the Tigers their biggest lead at 20-12.  Gregan off a quick set and Divosevic down the middle kept the margin at eight as the Tigers took a 22-14 lead.   After Krepp blocked for a point, the Indians began a furious rally that would bring them within two.  Three kills by Sparks and a well placed hit by Larson out of the back row cut the lead to 23-18 before a service error brought NA to game point.  Penn Hills did not quit, however, as Larson went cross court, the Tigers committed a pair of hitting errors, and Sparks hit the line with a service ace to cut the lead to 24-22.  After an NA time called by coach Dan Schall, Matt Miller went down the middle to give the Tigers a 25-22 win in game two and a two games to none lead in the match.

With the backs against the wall, Penn Hills took an early 7-2 lead behind the hitting of Larson and opposite John Potts.  With PH ahead, 8-4, the Tigers scored the next four points as Adam Miller served an ace and Penn Hills committed several hitting errors.  A block and kill by Sparks put the Indians up, 10-8, before Haas went cross court.  After an NA hitting error, Haas scored down the middle and Matt Miller down the line to tie the game at 11-11.  After Larson and Matt Miller exchanged kills, Strauss gave Penn Hills the lead with a clever right handed tip.  After an exchange of hitting errors, the game was tied at 16-16.  After Adam Miller hit the antenna with an attempted kill, Haas went down the middle, and Krepp scored on a left handed tip to give the Tigers an 18-17 lead.  Sparks came back with a pair of kills, but Haas answered down the middle to tie the game at 19-19.  Sparks scored off the NA blockers and Strauss blocked for a point to put PH up, 21-19.  A quick set to Gregan cut the margin to one, and Cesaratto was long on a hit as NA tied the game at 22-22.  Sparks put PH ahead as he found the back corner, but Matt Miller answered with a blast down the line.  Another quick set to Gregan put NA at game and match point, but NA was called for a net violation to tie the game at 24-24.  Then, the fun began.  After Divosevic gave NA another chance at game and match point, 25-24, Cesaratto scored down the middle to tie the game at 25-25.  An NA hitting error gave Penn Hills their first chance at game point.  Haas hit the back line with a kill to tie the game at 26-26 and a lift called against Penn Hills made it 27-26.  Sparks kept Penn Hills alive with a kill off the NA blockers, but Divosevic came back with a kill to again put the Tigers a point away from winning the match.  Strauss answered with a block to tie the game at 28-28.  Matt Miller went cross court to a make it 29-28, but Larson blocked for a point that tied the game again.  After a Gregan kill gave NA yet another chance for the winner, Cesaratto answered down the middle to tie the contest at 30-30.  Larson went off the NA blockers to give PH another shot at winning the game, but Matt Miller kept NA alive with a kill down the middle.  A net violation on Penn Hills brought NA to another chance at victory.  A service error by Larson tied the game at 32-32.  A pair of hitting errors made it a 33-33 game.  After another Penn Hills hitting error, Adam Miller stepped back to serve for the win.  After an exchange, Divosevic found open space in the middle and the Indians were unable to return the hit as the Tigers took game three, 35-33, and the match three games to none.

NA got contributions from a number of players in the impressive victory.  The Tiger defense was key as senior libero Matt Robertson had 18 digs, Krepp 10,  and junior DS Evan Buysse and Matt Miller nine each.  At the net, Timcheck had three blocks with Adam Miller and Krepp adding two each.  Adam Miller posted seven kills with Divosevic adding six including the game and match winner.  Adam Miller served three aces for the winning Tigers.

With the win, NA captured their sixth title in the last seven years, their twelfth overall.  The Tigers will enter the PIAA tournament with a match on Tuesday night at Central Cambria High School.  The Tigers will play the fourth place team from District 3, Governor Mifflin, with match time set for 6:00 pm.

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MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PENN HILLS - 0

WPIAL CLASS AAA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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TIGERS TOP SENECA VALLEY, 3-0,
IN WPIAL SEMIFINALS

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Senior OH Matt Miller recorded a season high 15 kills to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 victory over rival Seneca Valley in the WPIAL semifinals at North Hills on Wednesday night.  NA won the first game, 25-15, held off the Raiders, 25-20, in game two, and took the third and final game by a 25-21 score.  The win exacted a measure of revenge against Seneca Valley for a 3-0 loss to the Raiders during the regular season.

 Junior setter Michael Krepp directed a strong NA attack with another season high 43 assists and four blocks for the winning Tigers.  Senior MB Freddy Haas recorded season high numbers at the net with 12 kills, senior OH Rick Divosevic also posted a season high 8 kills, senior opposite Adam Miller added seven kills and five blocks, senior MB Phil Timcheck and junior MB Kyle Gregan recorded four blocks each, and Matt Miller a pair of blocks.  Junior DS Evan Buysse helped start the offense with nine perfect passes, senior libero Matt Robertson added eight, and Matt Miller six.  Defensively, Robertson led with 13 digs while Matt Miller posted nine digs, Buysse eight, and Krepp seven.

With the win, NA advances to the WPIAL Championship against season nemesis Penn Hills.  The match is scheduled for a 7:00 pm start tomorrow night at LaRoche College.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SENECA VALLEY - 0

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TIGERS PICK OFF PLUM, 3-0, IN QUARTERFINALS
OF WPIAL TOURNAMENT

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

The Tigers downed the Plum Mustangs in three straight games in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class AAA tournament at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  NA won the first game, 25-15, held off Plum in the second, 25-19, and wrapped up the victory with a 25-14 win in game three.  Senior opposite Adam Miller led NA with 11 kills and five blocks while junior setter Michael Krepp added seven kills and six blocks to his 30 assists for the winning Tigers.

After Plum took a 3-2 lead on an NA net violation, a pair of kills by Adam Miller gave NA the lead for good.  Jordan Schmitt answered for the Mustangs, but another kill by Adam Miller and a pair of blocks by the combo of senior MB Freddy Haas and Krepp put the Tigers up, 10-4.  After a Plum time out, Schmitt went off the NA blockers and the Tigers committed a hitting error to make it 10-6.  Krepp came back with a two-handed push near the back line, and Matt Miller went cross court to extend the margin to 12-6.  A kill by Haas down the line was answered by a blast down the middle by Bob Theiss as the score went to 13-9.  The Tigers kept the pressure on and went on a 5-2 run sparked by a left handed smash by Krepp along with three serving points by the NA setter.  After Ryan Duke stopped the run with a block to make it 18-12, Adam Miller ended a long volley that featured great saves by both teams.  With NA up, 19-13, Haas went down the middle and senior OH Rick Divosevic scored on a cross court blast to push the lead to 21-13.  Matt Miller finished off the Mustangs with a kill down the line and a tip just inside the line as NA won game one, 25-15, to take a one game to none lead in the match.

After Matt and Adam Miller gave NA an early 2-1 lead in game two, Plum scored the next three points led by the hitting of Kasey Zaspel.  Mustang OH Jordan Schmitt was injured at this point of the match and did not return.  The Tigers rallied to retake the lead, 6-5, on a kill by Adam Miller cross court, another by Haas on a slide, and a third by junior OH Alex Verlinich down the middle.  Plum continued to battle and was able to retake the lead at 11-9 with Duke and senior Sean Marvich doing most of the damage.  Once again, the Tigers came back as Matt Miller went down the middle and Adam Miller and junior MB Kyle Gregan combined on a kill to tie the game at 11-11.  AFter a Gregan block put NA up, 12-11, Plum got the benefit of two NA errors to bounce back ahead, 13-12.  It was the last Mustang lead of the game as the Tigers scored the next nine points.  A dink by Adam Miller, a kill off the front row blockers by Verlinich, a block by Gregan, another block by Adam Miller and Gregan, and another kill by Verlinich highlighted the run that put NA on top, 21-13.  After two NA errors brought Plum back to 21-15, junior OH Brian Ledoux scored down the middle and senior MB Jeff Haus blocked for a pair of points to make it 24-16.  After Plum scored three straight points, Haus ended game two with his third block of the game as NA took game two, 25-19, to increased their lead in the match to two games to none.

Facing elimination, Plum took an early 4-1 lead with Marvich scoring a pair of kills early.  With NA trailing 5-2, the Tigers rallied to score five straight points behind kills by Divosevic and Adam Miller along with several Plum hitting errors.  After Plum cut the margin to 9-7, sophomore Justin Haser restored order with a block, junior OH Brian Tevis scored down the middle, Krepp added a block, and Tevis another kill as the NA lead went to 13-7.  A pair of NA hitting errors cut the margin to 13-9, but Krepp won a joust at the net and Tevis scored again in the middle to push the margin to 16-10.  Marvich and Zaspel led a Plum rally to cut the lead to 17-13, but sophomore Derek Wagner had the answer with a kill near the back line.  Divosevic then added a pair of kills to extend the lead to 21-13.  A Haser block and a kill off the right hand of Krepp put NA at game and match point.  With sophomore DS Chris Conti serving, Krepp finished off the Mustangs with a final kill as the Tigers won game three, 25-14, and the match, three games to none.

Statistically, the Tigers dominated at the net.  Matt Miller recorded 7 kills with Gregan added five blocks.  Senior libero Matt Robertson chipped in with 12 perfect passes and 13 digs while Krepp added six digs with Matt Miller recording five digs.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Adam Miller as the Player of the Match.

With the win, the Tigers advance to the semifinals against section rival Seneca Valley.  The match will be played at North Hills High School with the starting time set for 7:00 pm.

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MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PLUM - 0

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TIGERS SWEEP AMBRIDGE, 3-0, IN
REGULAR SEASON FINALE

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

The Tigers met Ambridge on Senior Night at the Senior High gym and swept the #1 team from Class AA in three sets.  After edging the Bridgers, 25-23, in game one, NA took the next two games by identical 25-19 scores.  Senior OH Matt Miller led the Tigers with ten kills with senior MB Freddy Haas adding nine kills and three blocks.  Junior setter Michael Krepp picked up 29 assists along with seven kills and three blocks for the winning Tigers.

After Ambridge had taken an early 2-1 lead, the Tigers came back strong behind the serving of Matt Miller who had a pair of aces on the way to a 5-2 lead.  Nick Goodell answered for the Bridgers to cut the lead to 5-3, but a kill by Haas down the middle and an Ambridge hitting error pushed the margin to 7-4.  The teams exchanged points with senior OH Rick Divosevic and Matt Miller scoring down the middle and Goodell and Luke Ecimovic answering for the Bridgers as the score went to 9-6.  Haas then served an ace and Matt Miller hit the back line to extend the lead to 11-6.  Goodell came back with a pair of kills for Ambridge, but a blast by senior MB Phil Timcheck off the Bridger blockers and a violation by Ambridge made it a 13-8 game.  After Timcheck and Goodell exchanged kills, several hitting errors set the score at 16-11.  Goodell went off the NA blockers and served an ace to cut the lead to 16-13, but the Tigers had answers.  A left-handed smash by Krepp, a kill by Matt Miller off the blockers and a win at the net by Krepp pushed the NA lead to 20-15.  With NA up 22-17 after a Matt Miller kill, the Bridgers ralled.  After a service ace by Adam Greco, a service error made it 23-18.  With Evan Fullerton serving, the Bridgers scored four straight points with Goodell scoring down the middle and Fullerton serving an ace as Ambridge cut the lead to one at 23-22.  Divosevic stopped the run with a big kill, but Goodell answered with a cross court blast to make it 24-23.  Freddy Haas ended game one with a strong hit off the Ambridge blockers as the Tigers took game one, 25-23, and a one game to none lead in the match.

Game two was closely contested early as the teams exchanged points on their way to a 5-5 tie.  Senior opposite Adam Miller scored on a pair of cross court hits, and the setters, Krepp and Fullerton, exchanged left-handed hits during the early going.  After NA took a 6-5 lead on a miscommunication by Ambridge, Haas took over behind the back line and served three straight points with Krepp and Matt Miller picking up kills as NA took a 9-5 lead.  Goodell came back with a kill and an NA hitting error cut the margin to 9-7, but Timcheck put one down at the net and a service error by the Bridgers pushed the margin to 12-7.  Goodell led a Bridger rally with an ace and kill as the Bridgers got within one at 12-11.  Once again, the Tigers responded with a kill by Krepp and another by Timcheck to extend the margin to 14-11.  After a kill by Ecimovic down the line, Krepp went down the middle, Divosevic put back an overpass and Adam Miller scored on a dink.  After a Bridger hitting error, the Tigers held an 18-12 advantage.  Kills by Ecimovic and Goodell cut the lead to 18-14, but Haas came back with a pair of kills to make it a 20-15 game.  Kills by Matt Miller down the line and Krepp with another left-handed smash gave NA a 23-17 lead.  Ecimovic scored with a  pair of kills to cut the margin to 23-19.  Once again, NA had the answer as junior MB Kyle Gregan scored down the middle on a quick set, and Adam Miller went cross court to end the game.  The Tigers won game two, 25-19, and took a two games to none lead in the match.

Ambridge took an early lead in game three.  After Krepp opened the scoring with another left-handed kill, Goodell blocked for a pair of points and Renner blocked another as the Bridgers jumped off to a 4-1 lead.  After a Bridger hitting error and a kill by Gregan off a quick set, Goodell and Ecimovic helped Ambridge to gain a 7-3 advantage.  The Tigers, however, scored the next five points to take the lead.  Another kill by Gregan off a quick set, a call on Ambridge into the net, a kill and a block by Haas along with a hitting error gave NA an 8-7 lead.  After Ecimovic tied the game with a kill off the NA blockers, Divosevic went cross court and Haas scored off a slide to make it a 10-8 game.  A kill by Divosevic was answered by Greco, but Haas went down the line and served an ace to push the lead to 14-10.  Fullerton led a Bridger comeback with a kill and block as Ambridge tied the game at 14-14.  Krepp then put back an overpass and Matt Miller blocked for a point as NA regained the advantage at 16-14.  Gregan and Goodell exchanged points and the teams committed several hitting errors as the score went to 18-17.  An Ambridge service error, a block by Divosevic and a blast by Haas down the middle put the Tigers in control at 21-17.  After an exchange of hitting errors, Divosevic went cross court again to push the lead to 23-18.  After Ecimovic scored on a kill, Ambridge was called for a net violation.  With the game at match point, Haas served an ace down the middle to give the Tigers a 25-19 victory in game three and a three games to none win in the match.

Once again, the Tigers got contributions from a number of players in the victory.  At the net, Divosevic came in to post six kills and two blocks and Matt Miller added a pair of blocks.  Matt Miller and senior libero Matt Robertson recorded eight perfect passes each while senior DS Kevin Gleason and junior DS Evan Buysse added five each.  Defensively, it was Matt Miller with 8 digs while Krepp and Robertson added 6 each.  The Tigers were able to gain valuable points on service aces with Matt Miller and Haas recording three each.  For his overall performance, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Michael Krepp as the Player of the Match.

With the win, NA finished the regular season with a final overall record of 13-1.  The Tigers now await the pairings meeting on Monday to see who, where and when they will open the 2009 Class AAA playoffs.  As soon as the information is available, we will post it on the website.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team closed out their season with an exciting two-game sweep of Ambridge.  NA won the first game, 25-23, and the second, 26-24.

Photo Gallery

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  AMBRIDGE - 0

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TIGERS WRAP UP SECTION TITLE WITH
3-0 WIN AT NORTH HILLS

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The Tigers swept rival North Hills in three games on Thursday night at North Hills Junior High to win the section championship.  NA took the first game, 25-12, downed the Indians, 25-11, in the second game before completing the sweep with a 25-17 victory in the third and final game.  Junior OH Brian Tevis led NA with 8 kills while junior OH Alex Verlinich added five kills and two blocks.  Junior setter Michael Krepp posted 30 assists in directing the NA attack.

Also recording points at the net were senior middle blockers Freddy Haas and Phil Timcheck with two blocks each.  Senior libero Matt Robertson led the passing attack with four perfect passes with sophomore setter Chris Conti and senior OH Rick Divosevic adding three PP each.  Defensively, junior OH Tim Buresh posted 11 digs with Robertson adding ten and Tevis five.  Tevis served three aces with Krepp and Divosevic picking up a pair of service aces each.

With the win, NA finished section play with an 11-1 record and the section title.  The Tigers will host Ambridge, the #1 ranked team in Class AA, tonight 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 6:45 pm.  It is Senior Night tonight with all the action scheduled to begin around 7:00 pm.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team was victorious over North Hills, 2-0, winning by scores of 25-13 and 25-12.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0

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SENECA VALLEY UPSETS TIGERS, 3-1

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

The Seneca Valley Raiders came into the Senior High gym on Tuesday night and surprised the Tigers in a 3-1 win over NA.  The Raiders took game one, 25-20, and held off the Tigers, 25-21, in game two.  NA came back to win the third game, 25-19, but Seneca Valley was able to regroup and capture the fourth game, 25-20, to give them the victory.  Senior OH Matt Miller led NA with 15 kills while junior MB Kyle Gregan posted 14 kills and three blocks.

The Raiders jumped off to a quick 7-3 lead behind the hitting of junior Nat Steele, sophomore Brad Parrish and senior Alex Muckle.  The Tigers came back on a block by Adam Miller to cut the lead to 8-5, but Collin McGinnis served three straight points including an ace while senior Paul Kurlak and sophomore Pat Kulp picked up kills to extend the margin to 14-7.  A left handed blast by junior setter Michael Krepp and a kill off a quick set by senior MB Phil Timcheck cut the lead to 15-10.  After the Raiders used a kill by Steele and several NA hitting errors to push the margin to 19-12, the Tigers rallied.  A kill by junior OH Alex Verlinich off the SV blockers and a kill by Haas cut the lead to 19-14.  With senior opposite Adam Miller serving, the Tigers scored the next three points on a kill by Krepp, an ace by Miller and a hitting error by the Raiders.  Kurlak and Kulp had answers, however, as the lead went back to three at 21-18.  After a service error by SV, Kulp hit the back line and Parrish blocked for a point to make it 23-19.  After Matt Miller went off the blockers for a point, Steele closed out game one with a dink and a kill off the front line NA blockers.  The Raiders took game one, 25-20, and a one game to none lead in the match.

In game two, the Raiders again took an early 4-2 lead, but the Tigers came back.  A kill by Verlinich down the line, a dink by Haas and a pair of Raider hitting errors gave the Tigers their first lead of the match at 6-5.  A kill and an ace by Adam Miller along with a Haas putback of an overpass extended the NA lead to 9-6.  Seneca Valley came back to tie the game at 10-10 on a tip by setter Marc DeMarco.  The teams exchanged points over the next several minutes with Haas going cross court to give NA an 11-10 lead only to see Muckle come back to put SV on top, 12-11,  A cross court kill and block by junior MB Kyle Gregan gave the Tigers the lead again at 14-13, but it would be the last time NA had the advantage.  Strong play at the net by Kurlak and Parrish keyed a SV rally that put them ahead, 20-17.  The Tigers did not quit and came back again to tie the game at 21-21 on a kill by Matt Miller and another block by Gregan.  The Raiders then scored the next four points to win game two.  Two kills by Parrish and an NA hitting error put the Raiders at game point.  Fittingly, it was Parrish who blocked for the game points as Seneca Valley won game two, 25-21, to take a two games to none lead in the match.

The Tigers came back strong in game three taking an early 3-1 lead behind three kills by Gregan.  Steele and Kurlak led a Raider comeback that put them back ahead at 5-4, but the Tigers would not be denied in this game.  After Matt Mille tied the game with a kill down the middle, Adam Middle served an ace to put NA on top for good.  Kills by Haas, Matt Miller and Krepp kept the Tigers on top as the score went to 10-8.  A key point was a win by Krepp in a joust with 6-7 Kurlak.  NA continuted to expand the lead on kills by Gregan and Adam Miller.  Senior OH Rick Divosevic came off the NA bench to pick up a block while Gregan and Matt Miller added additional kills to push the margin to 16-10.  The Tiger front line continued to control the game with kills by Gregan, Adam Miller, Matt Miller and Haas on a quick set as the Tigers took a commanding 20-13 advantage.  After a SV hitting error took NA to game point, Gregan went down the middle for the game winner as the Tigers took game three, 25-19, to cut the Raider margin to two games to one in the match.

In game four, the Raiders took an early 6-2 lead and never trailed.  Good work at the net by Parris and Kurlak sparked the early run.  Haas, Matt Miller and Krepp led an NA rally that cut the lead to 8-5, but the Tigers would get no closer.  Muckle and Kulp picked up kills with Gregan answering off the SV blockers and down the middle with the Raiders continuing to lead at 12-7.  A kill by Matt Miller cut it to 15-9, but Steel and Muckle pushed the margin back to six at 17-11.  At this point, the Tigers regrouped as Matt Miller went down the middle, Krepp scored on a pair of blocks and Verlinich added a cross court kill as NA cut the lead to 19-16.  An NA hitting error and and two putbacks of NA overpasses pushed the lead back to six at 23-17.  A kill by Gregan and an ace by senior libero Matt Robertson cut it to 23-19,  but Steele went down the line to put the Raiders at game and match point.  Matt Miller kept the Tigers alive with a blast off the SV blockers, but a service error ended the night for NA.  Seneca Valley completed the upset with a 25-20 win in game four and a three games to one victory in the match.

Krepp recorded 45 assists along with three blocks,  Adam Miller had nine kills, and Haas five blocks.  Defensively, Matt Miller had 15 digs, Krepp 13, Robertson 12, and junior DS Evan Buysse 10.  Matt Miller also posted 18 perfect passes, Robertson 15 and Buysse eleven.  Adam Miller also served four aces for NA.  For his efforts in the match, the North Allegheny Sports Network named senior Matt Miller as the Player of the Match.

It was an emotional night for the Tigers as they honored senior OH Dennis O'Neil before the game.  O'Neil suffered a broken wrist after diving for a ball in the Butler match last week.  All of the NA players wore a specially made game jersey with O'Neil's #22 on each of the shirts.  The Tiger players were all introduced as #22 in O'Neil's honor.

With the loss, the NA section record dropped to 10-1.  The Tigers will travel to North Hills tomorrow night in the section finale.  A victory will give the Tigers the section championship.  Match time at North Hills is set for 7:00 pm.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team won an exciting 2-1 victory over Seneca Valley.  After losing the first game, 28-26, the JVs came back to take the second game, 25-23, before winning the deciding third game, 15-10.

Photo Gallery

MATCH SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1

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TIGERS FINISH OFF FOXES, 3-0

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The Tiger front line was too much for Fox Chapel on Thursday night as the Tigers blanked the Foxes, 3-0, at Fox Chapel High School.  Senior MB Freddy Haas had 10 kills while senior OH Matt Miller and senior opposite Adam Miller both posted nine to pace NA to the win.  The Tigers won the first game, 25-19, game two, 25-18, and the third and final game, 25-17.

Junior setter Michael Krepp again directed the powerful NA attack and compiled 34 assists, six kills, two blocks and six digs.  At the net, senior MB Phil Timcheck added four blocks while junior OH Alex Verlinich added five kills.  Adam Miller also had two blocks.  Defensively, senior DS/L Matt Robertson had 16 perfect passes and nine digs, junior DS Evan Buysse posted eight digs, and senior DS Kevin Gleason seven.  Matt Miller added seven perfect passes and 12 digs while both Robertson and Buysse had service aces.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 10-0 and clinched at least a tie for the section title.  NA will host Seneca Valley on Tuesday night in a section contest.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team defeated Fox Chapel, 2-0, winning by scores of 25-23 and 25-21.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  FOX CHAPEL - 0

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TIGERS TOP BUTLER IN THREE STRAIGHT

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

The Tigers swept the Butler Golden Tornado in three straight games at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  NA won the first game, 25-19, held off the Tornado for a 25-20 win in game two, and dominated Butler in the third game in a 25-11 romp.  Senior opposite Adam Miller led the Tigers with nine kills with senior OH Matt Miller adding eight.  Junior setter Michael Krepp recorded 30 assists along with seven kills for the winning Tigers.

Butler took an early lead in game one behind the serving of Chris Giegel.  After senior MB Freddy Haas started the game with an ace, Giegel served four straight points including an ace as the Tornado jumped out to a 5-1 lead.  The Tigers rallied behind the hitting of Adam Miller, Matt Miller and senior MB Phil Timcheck who scored off a quick set to cut the lead to 7-5.  After a kill by senior OH Dennis O'Neil off the Butler blockers, a hitting error and a blast by Adam Miller down the middle put NA ahead, 8-7.  The teams exchanged points over the next several minutes and were tied at 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, and 11-11.  An ace by Butler's Andrew Willison gave the Tornado their last lead at 12-11 before a kill by Haas tied the game again.  A hitting error and a left handed smash by Krepp gave the Tigers the lead for good at 14-12.  After the Tornado's Bill Roberts went cross court for a kill, Haas took over.  The Tiger senior scored off the front row blockers and then served two consecutive aces to put NA on top 17-13.  Matt Miller went down the line and Krepp served an ace to extend the margin to 19-14.  Cody Moffatt led a Butler comeback with a pair of kills as the Tornado got within three at 20-17.  Adam Miller answered down the middle and O'Neil added another kill to push the lead to 22-17.  Willison came back with two more kills to cut it to 23-19.  After a service error put NA at game point, O'Neil finished off the Tornado with an ace as the Tigers won game one, 25-19.

In game two, the Tigers got out to an early 3-0 lead behind a dink by Matt Miller, a block by Krepp and another ace by Haas.  Butler battled back again, however to tie the game at 4-4 on a kill by Willison and several NA hitting errors.  Senior OH Rick Divosevic gave the Tigers a lift off the bench with a pair of kills, but Willison and Roberts answered for the Tornado as Butler took an 8-7 lead.  The Tigers finally tied the game at 10-10 on a Matt Miller kill.  A kill by Timcheck down the middle and four Tornado hitting errors gave NA a 16-10 lead before a dink by Moffatt stopped the run.  With NA up 18-13, Divosevic put back an overpass and Adam Miller pounded home two straight kills to push the Tiger advantage to 21-13.  Divosevic and Willison exchanged kills, but a block by Adam Miller and Haas made it a 23-16 NA lead.  Haas scored off a slide to put the Tigers at game point, 24-17.  Moffatt and two straight NA hitting errors kept Butler alive, but a service error by the Tornado ended game two.  The Tigers took a 25-20 win in game two and a two games to none lead in the match.

After Butler took an early 2-0 lead, the Tigers came back to take control of game three and coasted to an easy victory.  After O'Neil went out with an injury, Krepp used a left handed smash to put the Tigers on the board.  With Krepp serving, Matt Miller hit the back line, Timcheck blocked for a point, and Adam Miller went off the Butler blockers as the Tigers took a 5-2 lead.  After a service error, NA continued to extend the lead.  Adam Miller went down the middle, Timcheck added a block, and Divosevic scored off the front row blockers as the Tigers took a 10-3 lead and Butler took a time out.  Willison brought the Tornado to within five at 11-6, but the Tigers could not be stopped in game three.  Divosevic went down the middle, Krepp and Haas combined on a block, and Krepp added another left handed smash to make it 14-6 before Roberts came back with a pair of kills.  Krepp answered with a two-handed push, Matt Miller went off the blockers, Krepp blocked for another point and Adam Miller scored again off the Tornado front row as the lead went to 21-9.  Junior OH Alex Verlinich came in to pick up a kill and a block and junior OH Brian Ledoux scored on a block as the Tigers went to game and match point at 24-11.  Krepp finished off the Tornado with a great play.  The Tiger junior setter raced into the NA bench to save a ball sending the return back over his head and over the net for the kill that completed the three-game sweep.  The Tigers won game three, 25-11, and the match three games to none.

Once again, the Tigers got contributions from a number of players.  Senior DS/L Matt Robertson recorded 20 digs and five perfect passes, O'Neil three perfect passes, and junior DS Evan Buysse three perfect passes.  Timcheck chipped in with three blocks and Haas hurt the Tornado with six serving aces.  For his work at the net, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Adam Miller as the Player of the Match.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 9-0, their overall mark to 10-0 on the season.  NA will travel to Fox Chapel tomorrow night for a 7:00 pm section contest.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team defeated Butler, two games to none, winning by scores of 25-13 and 25-20.

Photo Gallery

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER - 0

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NORWIN FALLS TO TIGERS, 3-0

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

The Tigers downed the Norwin Knights in three straight games at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  Senior opposite Adam Miller led NA with seven kills while junior setter Michael Krepp directed the Tiger attack posting 27 assists.  NA won game one, 25-15, came back to win the second game by the same score, and finished off the Knights, 25-22, in game three.

The Tigers jumped off to a 4-1 lead early in game one with Krepp scoring on a left handed blast, senior OH Matt Miller putting back an overpass and junior MB Kyle Gregan scoring down the middle.  After the Knights cut the lead to 5-4 on a kill by Caleb Boone on an NA overpass, senior OH Dennis O'Neil pushed the margin to 6-4 with a kill off the front row blockers.  Norwin then went on a 6-2 run on kills by Derek Dubois and Ian Mikrut to take a 10-8 lead.  NA came back to regain the lead, 11-10, on a tip by Gregan, but Seth Austin tied the game with a kill off the NA blockers.  The teams exchanged points with Matt and Adam Miller scoring for NA, and Austin answering for the Knights.  With the score tied at 13-13, Adam Miller went down the middle to give the Tigers the lead for good.  With senior libero Matt Robertson serving, NA scored nine straight points to take a 22-13 lead.  During the run, it was senior MB Freddy Haas doing most of the damage with two kills and two blocks along with Adam Miller who had a pair of kills.  After Ben Baird stopped the run with kill, Haas scored down the middle again to put NA at game point, 24-14.  After Mikrut kept the Knights' hopes alive, a service error ended game one with the Tigers taking a 25-15 victory.

In game two, the Tigers took the lead from the outset and never looked back.  Haas served the first six points, including three aces, to put NA ahead, 6-0.  Kills by Austin and Alex Dennison brought Norwin back to within four at 8-4, but that was as close as the Knights would get.  Adam Miller scored two quick kills, before Cody Schropp answered for the Knights to cut the lead to 11-7.  After Adam Miller went cross court for a point, the Tiger senior served a ace and O'Neil went down the line as the NA lead went to 14-9.  With O'Neil serving, the Tigers again went on a mini-run of five straight to push the margin to 19-9 with O'Neil serving an ace and Krepp and Haas blocking for a point during the run.  Norwin came back with four straight points to cut the margin to 19-13, but a service error ended the run.  With Haas serving, senior MB Phil Timcheck went off the Norwin blockers for a point and then blocked for another before Denison came back for the Knights to make it a 22-14 game.  After a pair of service errors, Timcheck scored again off the blockers to put NA at game point, 24-15.  A Norwin hitting error gave the Tigers a 25-15 win in game two and a two games to none lead in the match.

The Tigers took a big early lead in game three with Haas again serving.  Matt Miller drove a blast off the Knight blockers, O'Neil dropped one in just inside the back line, and Haas served another ace as NA led, 6-1.  After an NA hitting error made it 7-4, junior OH Brian Tevis went cross court and Haas down the middle to push the margin to 9-4.  Norwin rallied to tie the game at 11-11 behind the hitting of Mikrut, but junior OH Alex Verlinich answered with a ball down the middle to regain the lead for NA.  After a Norwin hitting error, Verlinich came alive for two kills and a block and Gregan blocked for another point as the Tigers quickly pushed the margin to 17-11.  After an NA service error, Verlinich and Tevis added kills and junior OH Brian Ledoux a block as NA extended the lead to 22-13.  A kill by Schropp and several NA hitting errors cut the margin to 23-17.  After a Norwin service error put the Tigers at game and match point, 24-18, the Knights scored four straight points behind the serving of Denison and a kill by Schropp.  Unfortunately for the Knights, a service error ended game three with the Tigers winning the game, 25-22, and the match, three games to none.

Statistically, the Tigers got good performances from a number of players.  Matt Miller and O'Neil both had five kills while Gregan posted five blocks and Haas three.  The Tiger passing attack was on target with Robertson recording ten perfect passes, Verlinich adding six and junior DS Evan Buysse four.  Haas led NA with four service aces.  Defensively, Robertson led with seven digs while Krepp and O'Neil both added six.  For his efforts both at the net and behind the serving line, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Freddy Haas as the Player of the Match.

With the win, the overall NA record improved to 9-0 on the season.  The Tigers will host Butler tonight in a key 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 6:45 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Photo Gallery

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORWIN - 0

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PENN HILLS EDGES NA, 27-25,
IN PLUM TOURNEY FINAL

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NA nemesis Penn Hills did it again in the Plum Invitational Tournament on Saturday as they edged the Tigers, 27-25, in the championship final.  Senior OH Matt Miller led NA with 33 kills while junior setter Michael Krepp recorded 111 assists on the day.

Statistically, senior OH Dennis O'Neil chipped in with 24 kills, 5 blocks, 16 digs, 11 perfect passes and two aces to aid the NA cause.  Also at the net, senior opposite Adam Miller had 21 kills, senior MB Phil Timcheck posted eight blocks, and senior MB Freddy Haas had six blocks and three aces.  Defensively, senior DS/L Matt Robertson had 25 digs and 21 perfect passes while junior DS Evan Buysse recorded 14 digs and 9 perfect passes.

The Tigers will host Norwin tonight in a non-section match 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 6:45 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team lost to Meadville in the semifinals of the Penn Hills JV tournament.

PLUM INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Plum High School
Saturday, April 25

RESULTS (NA only)

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TIGERS ROLL OVER PINE-RICHLAND, 3-0

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The Tigers remained unbeaten in section play with a 3-0 victory at Pine-Richland on Tuesday night.  Senior opposite Adam Miller led NA will nine kills and junior setter Michael Krepp recorded 29 assists in directing a balanced NA attack that gave the Tigers 25-17, 25-8, and 25-10 victories in the match.

A number of Tigers posted good numbers in the match.  Junior OH Alex Verlinich and junior MB Kyle Gregan both had five kills while Krepp added three blocks, six digs and an ace to his total.  Senior MB Freddy Haas posted two blocks.  Senior OH Dennis O'Neil recorded six perfect passes and six digs, senior DS/L Matt Robertson three perfect passes, seven digs and an ace, and junior DS Evan Buysse three perfect passes and six digs.  Junior OH Brian Tevis and sophomore opposite Steven Ferringer both had service aces for the winning Tigers.

With the win, the NA section record improved to 8-0 on the season.  Next up for the Tigers will be the Plum Invitational on Saturday with the starting time set for 8:30 am.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team defeated Pine-Richland, 2-0, with wins of 25-23 and 25-22.  The JV squad will travel to Penn Hills on Friday for the Penn Hills JV Invitational.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PINE-RICHLAND - 0

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TIGERS FALL IN YORK SEMIS TO PENN HILLS, 25-21

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The Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the Koller Classic at Central York High School on Saturday.  In pool play, NA won the pool with two wins over New Oxford, Souderton, Penn Manor and a split with Cambridge Springs.  The Tigers won a points tiebreaker to capture first place in pool play.

In the playoffs, the Tigers knocked off State College, 26-24, in the first round before defeating Pennsbury, 25-13, in the quarterfinals.  In the semifinals, 2009 nemesis Penn Hills defeated NA, 25-21.  Penn Hills lost to Ambridge in the finals, two games to one.

Statistically, senior opposite Adam Miller led with 29 kills and three aces while senior OH Matt Miller posted 27 kills, eight blocks and 14 digs.  Junior setter Michael  Krepp amassed 87 assists, 17 kills, 8 blocks and 25 digs while junior MB Kyle Gregan recorded 17 kills and twelve blocks.  Senior MB Phil Timcheck had eight blocks while senior MB Freddy Haas put away three service aces.  Defensively, senior OH Dennis O'Neil had 18 digs and 24 perfect passes, junior DS Evan Buysse posted 22 perfect passes, and senior DS/L Matt Robertson had 45 diges, 22 perfect passes, and two aces.

The Tigers will be back in section action on Tuesday when they travel to Pine-Richland to meet the Rams in a 7:30 pm match.

JV UPDATE:  The JV team lost to State College in the quarterfinals of the York Tournament on Friday.

KOLLER CLASSIC
Central York High School
Saturday, April 18, 2009

NA RESULTS

TIGERS BLANK SHALER, 3-0, TO REMAIN UNBEATEN

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

Junior setter Michael Krepp had a season high 34 assists as fourteen NA players posted kills in a 3-0 romp over Shaler at the Senior High gym on Thursday night.  Senior OH Matt Miller led with seven kills as NA won the first game, 25-11, game two, 25-10, and the third and final game, 25-17.

The Tigers took control of the match from the outset as they took an 11-0 lead behind the serving of Krepp who recorded two aces during the run.  Senior OH Rick Divosevic posted a kill, senior opposite Adam Miller sent a pair of blasts down the middle, and Krepp added a kill along with Shaler hitting errors to give NA the big advantage.  Shaler came back on a pair of kills by Evan Proksell and an ace by Nick Ciccotelli to cut the margin to 13-4.  Adam Miller scored again down the middle, senior MB Phil Timcheck went cross court, and Matt Miller added another kill as the Tiger lead went to 18-7.  After Ciccotelli picked up a kill on a soft hit in the middle, Matt Miller scored again, Krepp added a left handed smash, and senior MB Jeff Haus found room just inside the back line to give NA a 21-8 margin.  After a block by Shaler's Corey Niederriter, Haus answered with a block and a kill to push the lead to 23-10.  After a kill by Dom Lombardozzi of the Titans, Adam Miller went down the middle to bring NA to game point.  Senior OH Dennis O'Neil put the Titans away with a blast off the front row blockers as NA won game one, 25-11, to take a one game to none lead in the match.

After the Tigers took a 5-1 lead early in game two behind a pair of kills by junior OH Brian Tevis and a block by junior OH Brian Ledoux, Shaler rallied on several NA hitting errors and a kill by Proksell off the NA blockers to take a 6-5 lead.  After a kill by sophomore MB Justin Haser tied the game, a kill by Ledoux and a block by junior MB Kyle Gregan gave the Tigers the lead for good at 8-7.  Tevis picked up a pair of kills and added a service ace to push the margin to 11-8 before Niederriter answered with a  kill down the middle.  A Shaler error and a Gregan kill extended the lead to 13-9.  Senior DS Kevin Gleason then took over the serve and scored ten straight points including an ace as the Tigers took a commanding 22-9 advantage.  After Lombardozzi ended the run with a kill, junior OH Alex Verlinich went off the Shaler blockers to give the Tigers a 23-10 lead.  With sophomore Chris Conti serving, Haser scored on a block and Ledoux blocked a Shaler attempt as game two ended with NA taking a 25-10 victory and a two games to none lead in the match.

Shaler stayed close in game three behind the play of Evan Proksell and even took a brief lead midway through the game.  After Krepp went down the middle to open the scoring, the Tigers were called for a net violation to tie the score.  A kill by Verlinich down the middle, a kill by O'Neil down the line and a Shaler hitting error gave NA an early 4-1 lead.  Hitting errors by the Tigers cost them a pair of points before sophomore OH Steven Ferringer drove a kill down the middle and O'Neill added another kill to make it 6-3.  After the Titans' Neil Pilewski scored on a cross court hit, Ferringer added another kill to give NA a 7-4 lead.  The Titans kept battling back behind kills by Proksell and Pilewski to cut the margin to 8-7.  Kills by Haus and Ledoux extended the margin to 11-8 before Proksell took over.  Three kills and a block by Proksell and an ace by Lombardozzi put the Titans ahead 13-12 before a Shaler hitting error tied the game.  Proksell matched a kill by Ferringer to tie the game again at 14-14.  Matt Miller came in to post a kill to give NA the lead for good at 15-14.  With Adam Miller serving, junior OH Tim Buresh registered a kill, Matt Miller went down the middle, Divosevic put back an overpass, and Gregan added a kill and a block to give the Tigers a 20-15 edge.  After Proksell found the back corner for yet another kill, Gregan answered down the middle.  Gleason came in to serve an ace and a Shaler error made it a 23-17 game.  After an NA hitting error, Adam Miller went off the Shaler blockers to put the Tigers at game and match points.  Divosevic finished off the match with a kill as NA won game three, 25-17, and the match, three games to none.

Statistically, the Tigers had a season high total team kills with 47, ana a season high total team assists with 45.  Individually, Tevis, Adam Miller and Krepp all recorded five kills.  Five players recorded two blocks each with Haser, Haus, Adam Miller, Ledoux, and Gregan all getting into the act at the net.   Senior Gleason had five perfect passes while junior Verlinich recorded four and senior DS Matt Robertson two.  Defensively, Gleason led with 16 digs while Verlinich and Robertson posted ten each.  For his efforts on the defensive end, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Matt Robertson as the Player of the Match.

With the win, the NA section record improved to 7-0 on the season.  The Tigers will travel to York over the weekend where they will compete in the York Invitational with some of the top teams from central and eastern Pennsylvania.

Photo Gallery

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SHALER - 0

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WPIAL VOLLEYBALL - 2009

The Tigers will compete again in the WPIAL in Class AAA along with 21 other teams.  The top four teams and ties for fourth place will enter the team championships set to begin as early as Tuesday, May 12, 2009.  All teams (qualifying teams or non-qualifying teams) that complete their section schedule by the prescribed date may play exhibition games providing that they do not exceed their limit of competitions.  Teams who have definitely qualified for the WPIAL playoffs cannot play a game after MAY 9, 2009.  All playoff entries will be determined by section record only and will be determined by the best section won-loss record.  Teams that tie for first place will not have the tie broken and ALL of the tied teams will be declared section champions, receive a section winner's plaque, and will be entered into the WPIAL tournament.  If four or more teams tie for first place, only those teams will qualify for the playoffs.

In the event of a  multiple tie (two or more teams) for a playoff position, head-to-head will be the first determinant.  If head-to-head does not break the tie, the following tie-breaking system will be used.  If three or more teams tie for third place and the tie-breaking system identifies one team as the third place team, the remaining teams will be then tied for fourth place and the process begins all over with head-to-head competition being the first determinant for establishing the fourth place team.  If a tie cannot e broken all tied teams will enter the playoffs.

TIE-BREAKING SYSTEM

a.  Section won-loss records of all tied teams will be compiled.
b.  The team(s) with the best numerical head-to-head section record among the tied teams will enter post-season play.
c.  If the tie cannot be clearly broken, all tied teams will enter post-season play.

All matches will be played with the best of five game format.  The top three teams will represent the WPIAL at the PIAA Championships.  A consolation match will be held in each classification to determine the third place team.  The PIAA Championships will begin on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 with a Western Regional and the Finals will be held on May 29 and 30, 2009.

CLASS AAA - 22 TEAMS

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