Welcome to the
NORTH ALLEGHENY SPORTS NETWORK

The Official Source of North Allegheny Sports
 

MATCH SUMMARIES

TIGERS ROADBLOCK RAMS, ADVANCE TO PIAA CHAMPIONSHIP

by Lee Mohn

(6/5/13) The North Allegheny Tigers are headed to the PIAA finals for the second time in the last three years, defeating Central Dauphin on Wednesday night in straight sets, 25-16, 25-19 and 29-27. The Tigers were dominant in game one. With the score tied at 6-6, the Tigers rattled off eight of the next nine points to take control of the first set. In that run the Tigers were assertive at the net with four blocks, three of which by Brendan Brown. Alex Glisan also had three blocks and Tommy Keisling had four kills. 

In set two, the Tigers fell behind 9-6 before tying the score at 11-11. Mitch Higgins had a nice contribution with a couple of kills and a block in that span.  The Tigers finally started to pull away by building a 19-14 lead thanks in part to three kills by Justin Zweig. 

Set three was a dogfight between the Tigers and Rams. North Allegheny started off slow, falling behind 7-2 on numerous mistakes but NA coach Dan Schall called a timeout to settle his team down and the Tigers rallied to tie the score at 11-11. Keisling had five kills to help the comeback. Both teams would not hold more than a two-point lead until the Tigers trailed, 22-19. After a few net violations by Central Dauphin, the Tigers were able to tie the score at 23-23 on a Glisan kill. The Rams had a chance to win twice after that, but kills by Zweig and Keisling tied the score at 25-25. The Tigers then had four straight match points and finally won when Central Dauphin’s Josh Donahue hit long. 

Tommy Keisling finished with 15 kills, Brendan Brown had 11 blocks and three kills, Justin Zweig posted eight kills and Mitch Higgins chipped in with five kills and two blocks.  Brown was selected as the Wright Automotive Player of the Match for his performance.  His points came just at the critical times all night long. 

The Tigers will face District One champion Pennsbury on Saturday at 3:00 pm on the campus of Penn State University for the state championship. The match will be televised on PCN on a delayed broadcast that will air at 8:30 pm on Saturday and 2:00 pm on Sunday.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  CENTRAL DAUPHIN - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TOP BETHEL PARK AGAIN, ADVANCE TO STATE SEMIFINALS

(6/1/13) In a rematch of the WPIAL Championship, the North Allegheny Tigers came away with the same result, a victory over the Bethel Park Black Hawks. This time around in the PIAA Quarterfinals, the Tigers swept the Black Hawks in straight sets of 25-17, 25-20 and 25-16.

Junior Brendan Brown kept the Black Hawks off-balanced with his well-placed serves, collecting three aces. Brown was equally as effective in shutting down Bethel Park’s offense with a team-best four blocks. Senior Joe Murphy posted three blocks and led the day with 32 assists and six digs. Libero Suyash Fulay notched six digs and Shawn Rogers had five. Senior Tommy Keisling hammered Bethel Park with 11 kills, followed by junior David Haus’ seven kills.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 19-0 and advances to the PIAA semifinals on Wednesday night against the Central Dauphin Rams.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BETHEL PARK - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

KEISLING NAMED WPIAL MVP, FIVE TIGERS EARN FIRST-TEAM LAURELS

(6/2/13) In addition to the team success of the North Allegheny Boys Volleyball squad this season, the individual accolades have been pouring in for the Tigers as well. Senior outside hitter Tommy Keisling has been named the WPIAL Class AAA MVP. Last season, Keisling was a WPIAL co-MVP with then-teammate Zach Shaw who is now playing volleyball at Princeton.

Keisling was also granted WPIAL First-Team honors, along with junior middle blocker Brendan Brown, senior libero Suyash Fulay, senior setter Joe Murphy, and senior right-side hitter Justin Zweig who missed all of last season with a broken leg. Earning WPIAL Second-Team recognition was middle hitter Alex Glisan. Receiving Third-Team laurels was senior middle hitter Daniel Rodgers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS SLAY KNIGHTS IN OPENING ROUND OF PIAA PLAYOFFS

(5/30/13) For the second time this season, the North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team topped the Norwin Knights, 3-0, this time in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs. The Tigers claimed the first round victory with set scored of 25-12, 25-12 and 25-11.

North Allegheny was led by senior Tommy Keisling who hammered the Knights with 15 kills. Keisling also posted six blocks, five digs and an ace. Senior Alex Glisan notched a team-high seven blocks, while Justin Zweig and Daniel Rogers collected six blocks apiece to help clog up with swinging lanes for Norwin. Senior Joe Murphy set up his teammates’ big swings with 21 assists and posted five digs. Libero Suyash Fulay and defensive specialist Shawn Rogers collected five digs each as well.

North Allegheny improves to 18-0 overall and will face Bethel Park on Saturday in a rematch of the WPIAL championship game.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORWIN - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS OUTLAST BETHEL PARK, WIN SEVENTH STRAIGHT WPIAL TITLE

by Dave Floyd

(5/23/13) Much like it did a season ago in the semifinals, Bethel Park pushed the Tigers to the brink Thursday evening at Baldwin in the WPIAL Class AAA championship. However, once again, North Allegheny prevailed in five sets, this time sealing the school’s seventh straight WPIAL crown. Set scores were 25-17, 21-25, 25-9, 21-25 and 15-8.

The Tigers came out of the gates strong, jumping out to a 3-0 advantage en route to a wire-to-wire win in the first set. Seniors Tommy Keisling and Justin Zweig, along with junior Brendan Brown each recorded four kills in the opening game.

A game Black Hawks squad responded, though, in set two. Four consecutive Tiger miscues allowed Bethel Park to open up an 18-13 advantage that they would never relinquish, as the Black Hawks kept North Allegheny at bay for the remainder of the game to garner the four-point victory.

After the Tigers controlled set three from start to finish, Bethel Park again responded in set four. With the score tied at 19 apiece, an odd sequence occurred when the two teams traded four straight service errors—all by experienced seniors. Immediately following, Bethel Park went on a 4-0 spurt that tied up the match and forced game five.

In that decisive fifth set, though, North Allegheny took over. The Tigers jumped out a 7-1 lead, and even when Bethel Park closed to within three points at 10-7, North Allegheny scored five of the match’s final six points to clinch that seventh consecutive district title.

Keisling, who came into Thursday’s contest just two kills shy of 400 on the year, led the way for the Tigers offensively. His 26 kills brought his season total to 424. Keisling also recorded eight digs.

Zweig and junior David Haus provided plenty of support for Keisling on offense. Zweig finished the match with 17 kills, and Haus turned in a solid performance with eight kills and three blocks.

Senior Alex Glisan clogged up the middle for the Tigers with a team-high eight blocks. Brown tacked on seven blocks of his own, to go along with six kills.

Senior Joe Murphy showcased every part of his came, notching 54 assists, six blocks and five kills. He also tied classmate Suyash Fulay for the team lead in digs with 12.

Before the match, the WPIAL recognized the 2013 Class AAA All-WPIAL Teams. North Allegheny led all squads with five first-team selections and seven honorees total. Senior Daniel Rodgers got the nod as a third-team selection; Glisan was named to the second team; and Brown, Fulay, Murphy, Zweig and Keisling all were selected as members of the first team. Keisling was lauded as the MVP.

Now for North Allegheny, it’s off to the PIAA playoffs. The Tigers first round match is already set. They’ll take on the third place team from the WPIAL, the Norwin Knights, who came from behind to defeat section rival Penn-Trafford in Thursday evening’s consolation match. That match between the Tigers and the Knights will be Wednesday at North Hills. Start time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BETHEL PARK - 2
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS HANDLE PENN-TRAFFORD, ADVANCE TO WPIAL TITLE MATCH

by Dave Floyd

(5/21/13) North Allegheny pulled away late in the first set and cruised past Penn-Trafford, 3-0, in the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals Tuesday evening at Baldwin. The Tigers advanced to the championship match with set victories of 25-21, 25-14 and 25-13.

Penn-Trafford held the lead throughout much of the first set, with its biggest advantage coming at 15-10. That, however, is when North Allegheny began to chip away at that advantage. The Tigers grabbed just their second lead of the match at 19-18 on senior Justin Zweig’s kill—one of five for Zweig on the night—and they never looked back.

Tommy Keisling turned in a monster performance for the Tigers. The senior registered 22 kills, 19 of which came in the first two sets alone. Keisling also added six digs, three aces and two blocks.

Junior Brendan Brown added eight kills and three blocks for the Tigers. Senior Daniel Rodgers helped Brown clog up the middle with four blocks to lead the team. He also recorded four kills.

As usual, seniors Joe Murphy and Suyash Fulay led North Allegheny in assists and digs, respectively. Murphy finished the contest with 39 assists, while Fulay ended up with 13 digs.

With the victory, the Tigers advance to Thursday’s title match against Bethel Park, who defeated Norwin in Tuesday’s other semifinal match, also by the score of 3-0. Thursday’s match against the Black Hawks gets underway at approximately 8 p.m., immediately following the consolation contest between section rivals Penn-Trafford and Norwin.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PENN-TRAFFORD - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS PULL AWAY FROM LATROBE, ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS

by Dave Floyd

(5/17/13) On Tuesday evening, North Allegheny did something in a single match setting that they hadn’t done in more than a month and a half—lose a set. That opening set defeat proved to be only a minor setback, though, as the Tigers stormed back to defeat Latrobe 3-1 at home in the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals. North Allegheny took down the Wildcats by set scores of 23-25, 25-22, 25-13 and 25-10.

Set one went back and forth, with neither team able to build up a lead of more than three points. And that’s exactly the advantage North Allegheny held at 23-20 when the Wildcats embarked on a 5-0 run to steal the first set and force the Tigers to play from behind for the first time in a long time.

A major turning point in the match then came late in the second set. With the score tied at 22, North Allegheny junior Brendan Brown went up for a kill attempt on the right side. Two Latrobe players combined to block Brown’s shot back onto the North Allegheny side of the net, but the ball fell just inches outside the line to give the point to the Tigers. They then went on to score the final two points of the set to tie the match at one game apiece.

With the momentum on their side, the Tigers never looked back, cruising to victory in both sets three and four.

As he often does, senior Tommy Keisling led the charge for North Allegheny. He finished the night with a team-high 14 kills, 12 digs, five blocks and three aces. Those numbers were good enough to earn him the title of Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Both Brown and senior Alex Glisan turned in solid performances in the middle. Brown registered eight kills and a team-high seven blocks, while Glisan added seven kills and four blocks of his own.

Senior setter Joe Murphy led the Tigers with 36 assists. He also threw in six kills and six digs for good measure. Senior libero Suyash Fulay ended up with a team-high 15 digs.

With the victory, North Allegheny and head coach Dan Schall now move onto the semifinals to face Penn-Trafford, who is coached by Jim Schall, Dan’s brother. That match will be played at Baldwin on Tuesday and is set to get underway at 6:00 p.m.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  LATROBE - 1
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS BUMP BRIDGERS, 3-0

(5/10/13) Avenging their only loss of the season, the North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team tore down the Ambridge Bridgers on Friday night, 3-0. To open the season at the North Allegheny Invitational, the Bridgers defeated the Tigers back in March for the tournament championship. Before a packed gymnasium at NASH on Friday, North Allegheny exacted revenge against the reigning WPIAL Class AA champions with set wins of 25-20, 25-16 and 25-15.

The Tigers were led by senior Tommy Keisling who collected a team-high 15 kills and two aces. Setter Joe Murphy posted 37 assists, five digs and two blocks, while libero Suyash Fulay notched a team-best 13 digs. Senior Alex Glisan and junior Brendan Brown clogged the middle with three blocks apiece.

North Allegheny improves to 14-0 overall in regular season play and will await the release of the WPIAL Class AAA Brackets as the Tigers aim for a seventh straight WPIAL title.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Ambridge 25-10 and 25-20.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  AMBRIDGE- 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS ROMP INDIANS, 3-0

(5/9/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team ran roughshod over the North Hills Indians on Thursday night, 3-0. The Tigers swept through North Hills with set scores of 25-14, 25-16 and 25-15.

Senior Alex Glisan helped pave the way to victory with nine kills as many of the Tigers had productive nights. Junior David Haus posted eight kills while senior Daniel Rodgers notched a team-high seven blocks. Rodgers also served up a pair of aces, as did senior libero Suyash Fulay who collected a game-high 11 digs. Junior Antonios Balouris split time at setter with Joe Murphy as the duo posted 17 and 16 assists respectively.

North Allegheny concludes their section schedule with a 12-0 record and will play the regular season final tonight with a showdown against the Ambridge Bridgers. Start time is slated for 7:00 pm from NASH.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated North Hills 25-15 and 25-16.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA TOPPLES SENECA VALLEY, 3-0

(5/7/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team shot down the Seneca Valley Raiders on Tuesday night with a 3-0 victory at NASH gymnasium. With playoffs hopes still alive heading into the final week of the season, the Raiders hung tough with the Tigers but were unable to topple an NA team that has already wrapped up a Section 2-AAA title. North Allegheny claimed the match with set scores of 25-20, 25-14 and 25-20.

In set one, North Allegheny opened up a 20-11 lead before the scrappy Raiders trimmed the score to 24-20. However, the Seneca Valley rally was too little, too late, as senior Daniel Rodgers closed out the set with a kill to hand NA a 25-20 victory. Seniors Tommy Keisling and Justin Zweig were outstanding in the opening set, combining for eight kills and three blocks.

North Allegheny had little trouble with the Raiders in set two as senior Alex Glisan spurred on the Tigers to a 25-14 victory with three kills and four blocks. NA and Seneca Valley traded barbs in set three, with Patrick Messmer, Kris Baier and Mike Jones helping the Raiders build a 14-11 lead. The Tigers fought back to an 18-18 tie and pulled away down the stretch by scoring seven of the last nine points to garner the 25-20 win. Keisling was dominant in the final stages of the set, producing two kills and two aces on his way to Wright Automotive Player of the Match honors. The senior outside hitter finished the night 15 kills, three blocks and three aces.

Also playing key roles in the win was setter Joe Murphy and libero Suyash Fulay. Murphy finished posted a team-high 27 assists and Fulay led the Tigers with 12 digs. Glisan had a fine game with six kills and a game-high four blocks. Zweig added seven kills and three blocks.

North Allegheny remains undefeated with an 11-0 record in section play. The Tigers round out their section schedule with a match at North Hills on Thursday night. Seneca Valley drops to 5-6 in Section 2 but is still clinging to playoff hopes heading into their match on Thursday night with Butler.  

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Seneca Valley 25-24, 23-25 and 15-6.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SENECA VALLEY - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS DISPATCH FOXES FOR SECTION TITLE

(5/2/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team laid claim to the Section 2-AAA title on Thursday night with a 3-0 victory over the Fox Chapel Foxes. The Foxes were looking to earn a share of the section crown with a win over NA, but the Tigers dashed those hopes with straight set wins of 25-10, 25-20 and 25-23.

Senior libero Suyash Fulay kept the Foxes off-balance with his well-placed serves, posting three aces. As is typically his fashion Fulay also led the Tigers in digs with 11. Outside hitter Tommy Keisling delivered a team-high 11 kills and added two aces. Junior Brendan Brown stuffed the inside with six blocks and six kills. Setter Joe Murphy had 29 assists.

North Allegheny improves to 10-0 in Section 2 while Fox Chapel falls to 9-2 with both of their losses coming against the Tigers. With a section title at hand, North Allegheny will try keep their undefeated record intact with a home meeting against the Seneca Valley Raiders on Tuesday night. The match will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

JV Update: The Tigers lost to Fox Chapel 22-25 and 23-25.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  FOX CHAPEL - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS BASH BUTLER, 3-0

(4/29/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team made quick work of the Butler Golden Tornado on Monday, sending home their section foe with a 3-0 defeat. The Tigers buried Butler in the opening set 25-11, thanks in large part to seniors Justin Zweig and Tommy Keisling who combined for nine kills. Zweig set the tone early, notching three of the Tigers first six points and stuffed Butler with a pair of blocks. For his efforts, Zweig was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Match.

Butler did their best to hang with NA is sets two and three, but ultimately the top-ranked Tigers had just too much firepower. The duo of Daniel Rodgers and Brendan Brown provided plenty of kills and blocks in the middle to lift NA to a 25-19 win in set two. Rodgers posted a pair of kills and a block while Brown added four kills. Showing flashes for the Golden Tornado, Matt Huey tried to keep his team in the hunt with three kills.

In the third and final set, the Tigers completed their all-around team effort with a 25-14 win. Zweig and Keisling combined for four kills, along with additional contributions from David Haus, Adam Haus, Alex Glisan and others.  Sophomore David Henderson delivered nicely off the bench with solid serves and defensive work.  Senior libero Suyash Fulay was once again outstanding on defense with 10 digs. The NA blockers denying Butler kill attempts was a constant occurrence on the night from start to finish. Glisan, Rodgers and senior Joe Murphy built a black and gold wall with four blocks apiece. Murphy also led the team in assists with 22.

North Allegheny improves to 10-0 overall and 9-0 in Section 2-AAA.  Butler drops to 6-5 overall and 5-4 in the section. The Tigers can lock up a section title with a win at Fox Chapel on Thursday night. Action gets underway at 7:00 pm.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Butler 25-15, 16-25, and 15-9.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TOP SOME OF STATE'S BEST, WIN STATE COLLEGE INVITATIONAL

(4/28/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team took first place at their third tournament of the season, grabbing gold at the State College Invitational on Saturday. The top-ranked team in the state dominated the competition, going 14-1 on the day and defeating the second and third-ranked teams in Pennsylvania at the tournament semifinals and championship. In the semis, NA topped Central York 30-19 and then punished Pennsbury 2-0, with set scores of 25-21 and 25-21.

Helping lead the Tigers to the first place trophy was senior Tommy Keisling who posted a team-best 55 kills and nine aces. Clogging the middle was junior Brendan Brown and Alex Glisan who notched 15 and 14 blocks respectively. Libero Suyash Fulay covered the floor defensively with 38 digs, followed by Keisling with 34 and Joe Murphy with 27. Murphy led in assists with 138, distributing the ball well amongst his teammates.

The Tigers, who have already clinched a playoff spot, will return to section play on Monday night with a home contest against the Butler Golden Tornado. The match will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS PLOW THROUGH PINE-RICHLAND, 3-0

(4/23/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team kept their unblemished record intact on Tuesday night thanks to a 3-0 road win at Pine-Richland. The Tigers swept the Rams by set scores of 25-10, 25-12 and 25-11.

Against a very good Pine-Richland squad, the Tigers won convincingly behind the efforts of senior Tommy Keisling who led the way with 14 kills and a pair of aces. Junior Brendan Brown was strong with a team-high six blocks, while adding four kills. Libero Suyash Fulay covered every inch of the floor defensively with an outstanding 18 digs. Senior Justin Zweig contributed five kills and four blocks. Senior setter Joe Murphy distributed the ball nicely with 21 assists.

North Allegheny improves to 8-0 in Section 2-AAA while Pine-Richland drops to 3-4. The Tigers will rest up before a trek to State College on Saturday for the State College Invitational. Action gets underway at 8:30 am.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Pine-Richland, 25-16 and 25-16.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PINE-RICHLAND  - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

KEISLING EARNS 1,000th KILL, TIGERS TAKE 1st PLACE AT CENTRAL YORK INVITE

(4/21/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team took first place, and senior Tommy Keisling earned the 1,000^th kill of his career, at the Central York Invitational over the weekend. The Tigers topped Emmaus, Ambridge and Pennsbury on their way to the tournament championship. In the title match, NA downed Bethlehem Catholic 23-25, 25-18 and 15-8 to take home the tournament’s first place trophy.

To go along with his 1,000^th kills, Keisling led the Tigers at the tournament with 41 kills and 10 aces. Keisling added 7.5 blocks and 21 digs to his all-around performance. Senior Justin Zweig posted 24 kills and 10 blocks on the day. Junior Brendan Brown notched 10 blocks and senior Joe Murphy achieved a team-high 101 assists. Defensive specialist Suyash Fulay posted a team-best 24 digs.

North Allegheny returns to section play on Tuesday night with a visit to Pine-Richland. Start time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

JV Update: The JV Tigers also took 1st place at the Central York Invite.

Pool play results
NA defeated Carlisle 25-12, 25-17
NA defeated Parkland 25-20, 25-21
NA defeated York Suburban 25-22, 25-15
NA split with Bethlehem Catholic 25-22, 26-27

Playoff results
First round, NA defeated Emmaus 25-22
Quarterfinals, NA defeated Ambridge 25-22
Semifinals, NA defeated Pennsbury 25-21
Championship, NA defeated Bethlehem Catholic 23-25, 25-18, 15-8

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TROUNCE TITANS, 3-0

(4/18/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team chopped down the Shaler Titans, 3-0, for another Section 2 victory on Thursday night. The Tigers swept through Shaler with set wins of 25-12, 25-15 and 25-19.

North Allegheny made quick work of the Titans with an all-around effort, including junior Brendan Brown who led the Tigers with 10 kills and four blocks. Seniors Adam Haus and Tommy Keisling added nine kills apiece. Keisling and Suyash Fulay covered the floor defensively with five digs each. Senior Joe Murphy posted 21 assists, and junior Antonios Balouris delivered with 19 assists as both split time at the setter position.

North Allegheny improves to 7-0 in section play and will take part in the Central York Invitational this weekend. Shaler falls to 1-6 with the loss.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Shaler 25-12 and 25-9.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SHALER - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS DIG OUT WIN OVER NORTH HILLS, 3-0

(4/16/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team made quick work of the North Hills Indians on Tuesday night, earning a 3-0 victory over their section rival. The Tigers claimed the win with set scores of 25-13, 25-14 and 25-11.

Senior Justin Zweig had a strong hitting night, driving home 11 kills for NA. Junior Brendan Brown posted a team-high five blocks, followed by Zweig’s four. Senior Tommy Keisling notched three aces and junior Antonios Balouris set up teammates for a team-best 31 assists. Junior defensive specialist Luke Gwaltney led the way defensively with six digs, with Shawn Rogers and Suyash Fulay posting five digs apiece.

North Allegheny improves to 6-0 in Section 2-AAA while North Hills falls to 0-6. The Tigers eye another section win on Thursday night as the Tigers host the Shaler Titans. Start time is slated for 7:00 pm.  

JV Update: The Tigers defeated North Hills 25-14 and 25-11.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS WIN JOUST WITH KNIGHTS, 3-0

(4/15/13) The top-ranked North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team sparred the Norwin Knights in a non-section match on Monday night and came away with a 3-0 victory. The Tigers claimed the win behind set scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-19.

Junior Brendan Brown solidified the middle with a team-high six blocks and added seven kills to his tally. Senior Daniel Rodgers joined Brown in the middle with four blocks, while outside hitter Tommy Keisling led NA with 14 kills, eight digs and five aces. Setter Joe Murphy chipped in with seven kills and posted a team-best 28 assists.

North Allegheny improves to 6-0 overall and returns to section play with a home meeting with the North Hills Indians on Tuesday night. Action gets underway at 7:00 pm from NASH.  

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Norwin 25-15 and 25-16.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORWIN - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS SAIL PAST SENECA , 3-0

(4/11/13) In a road contest at Seneca Valley on Thursday night, the North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team dispatched the rival Raiders by a 3-0 final. The Raiders hung tough with the Tigers in the first set, but ultimately fell, 25-23. North Allegheny cruised to victories in the next two sets for the sweep, 25-10 and 25-20.

Senior setter Joe Murphy set up the NA offense by distributing the ball with 32 assists. Outside hitter Tommy Keisling capitalized on the Murphy sets for a team-high 14 kills. Senior Justin Zweig followed with seven kills and three blocks. Junior Brendan Brown clogged the middle for a team-best five blocks on the night. Defensively, libero Suyash Fulay led with eight digs, followed by Shawn Rodgers who posted five digs.

The top-ranked Tigers remain undefeated at 5-0 while Seneca Valley sinks to 2-3. The North Allegheny Varsity squad will have the weekend off before hosting Norwin in a non-section match-up on Monday. Start time is slated for 7:00 pm.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Seneca Valley 25-19 and 25-15.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SENECA VALLEY  - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS CONQUER FOX CHAPEL, 3-0

(4/9/13) In a match-up of elite teams in Class AAA, the top-ranked North Allegheny Tigers bumped off the second-ranked Fox Chapel Foxes, 3-0, on Tuesday night at NASH gymnasium. Senior Tommy Keisling spurred on the Tigers from start to finish with a team-high 13 kills and four blocks, on his way to Wright Automotive Player of the Match honors. North Allegheny claimed the win by set scores of 25-21, 25-16 and 25-15.

Keisling helped the Tigers ward off the pesky Foxes in the opening set as the teams traded points to the tune of a 16-16 tie. Fox Chapel kept pace with the Tigers courtesy of Andrew Tublin’s three kills and Matt D’Amico’s two kills and one block. However, Keisling and Justin Zweig delivered several kills down the stretch to help the Tigers pull away for a 25-21 set win. Six of Keisling’s 13 kills came in the opening set.

Set two started off evenly once again as NA and Fox Chapel battled to an 8-8 tie before Coach Dan Schall called a momentum turning time-out. Self-inflicted wounds helped the Foxes to start the set, but following the time-out the Tigers played inspired volleyball and drilled Fox Chapel, 25-16. The set was dominated by junior Mitch Higgins who tallied seven kills.

In the final set, the Foxes literally took it on the chin thanks to four more kills from Zweig, including a rocket that buried FC setter Josh Tublin and put the Tigers ahead, 22-14. Bolstered by four kills from junior David Haus, North Allegheny earned a match clinching 25-15 victory in set three.

North Allegheny remains the only undefeated team in Section 2-AAA with a 4-0 mark. Fox Chapel drops to 4-0 with loss. The Tigers will visit Seneca Valley on Thursday night at 7:00 pm.

JV Update: The Tigers defeated Fox Chapel 25-8 and 25-17.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TAKE CHAMPIONSHIP AT DERRY INVITATIONAL

(4/6/13) At the Derry Invitational on Saturday, the North Allegheny Boys Volleyball team defeated the host Trojans, 25-17, for the tournament championship. The Tigers swept their way through pool play and defeated Central Martinsburg, Montour, and Fox Chapel in the playoffs to reach the tournament finals. During the second round of pool play, the Tigers downed Derry 26-24 and 25-20 in a hard fought win. NA repeated that effort by a 25-17 score in the invitational finals to go home with the first place trophy.

Part of a day full of outstanding performances by the Tigers, senior Tommy Keisling posted team highs with 51 kills and 10 aces. At opposite, Justin Zweig provided 23 kills while Brendan Brown and David Haus added 17 kills apiece. Defensively, libero Suyash Fulay led NA with 28 digs and Daniel Rodgers clogged the middle with 11 blocks. Floor general Joe Murphy set up his teammates with 110 assists.

North Allegheny looks to continue its roll on Tuesday night with a home meeting against Fox Chapel, a team they beat on Saturday in the Derry Invitational’s semifinals, 25-18.  Tuesday’s affair will be broadcast live via the internet by the North Allegheny Sports Network. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.   

1st Round Pool Play
NA defeated Shaler 25-18
NA defeated Latrobe 25-16
NA defeated Hempfield 25-15

2nd Round Pool Play
NA defeated Penn Trafford 25-18, 25-18
NA defeated Derry 26-24, 25-20
NA defeated Norwin 25-22, 26-24

Playoffs
1st Round, NA defeated Central Martinsburg 25-11
Quarterfinals, NA defeated Montour 25-15
Semifinals, NA defeated Fox Chapel 25-18
Finals, NA defeated Derry 25-17

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS SHOOT DOWN BUTLER, 3-1

(4/4/13) In an early season test in Section 2, the North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team traveled to Butler and toppled the Golden Tornado on Thursday night, 3-1. The Tigers grabbed the opening set by a 25-15 score, but playing on their home floor in a battle of unbeaten teams, Butler rallied to tie the game with a 25-23 victory in set two. The Tigers took the wind out of the Golden Tornado by sweeping the next two sets, 25-15 and 25-17, to stay undefeated in section play.

Senior Suyash Fulay kept Butler off-balance with his outstanding serves and defensive play, notching four aces and eight digs. Outside hitter Tommy Keisling hammered the Golden Tornado with 17 kills, three blocks and seven digs. Senior Justin Zweig continued his strong start to the season with 11 kills and four digs. Setter Joe Murphy fed his teammates with a team-high 42 assists.

North Allegheny improves to 3-0 with the win while Butler suffers its first defeat of the year, falling to 3-1. The Tigers will travel to Derry High School on Saturday for the Derry Invitational. The day-long tournament gets underway at 9:00 am.

JV Update: The NA JV team won 2-1 over Butler (22-25, 25-19, 15-11).

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  BUTLER  - 1
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS DROP HAMMER ON RAMS, 3-0

(3/27/13) North Allegheny rolled to their second victory in as many nights as the Tigers cruised to a 3-0 win over the Pine-Richland Rams on Wednesday. The Tigers battered the Rams with a barrage of big swings, collecting set wins of 25-14, 25-16, and 25-11.

In the opening set, senior Justin Zweig set the tempo for the Tigers with four kills, two blocks and a dig. Thanks to Zweig, and Brendan Brown who posted three kills and two blocks in the set, North Allegheny seized the early momentum and rolled to the 25-14 set one victory. Even more impressive, Zweig’s performance came after missing all of last year with a broken leg. For his efforts and titanic kills along the way, Zweig was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Match.

Pine-Richland errors helped the Tigers build a quick 7-2 lead in set two, and senior Tommy Keisling put the Rams away with four monster kills and an ace. Alex Glisan added three kills in the set and NA grabbed a 25-16 win in set two.

The third and final set was dominated by Zweig and Keisling who combined for six kills and a block. For the match, Keisling led with a team-high 13 kills and Zweig followed with six and a team-high three blocks. In the third set, the Tigers closed out the night with a 25-11 victory.

Also shining individually, senior setter Joe Murphy posted 26 assists. Libero Suyash Fulay led with 12 digs and posted an ace. Senior Shawn Rogers contributed with four digs and an ace.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 2-0 overall and in the section. Pine-Richland falls to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in section play. The Tigers return to action next Thursday night with a visit to Butler to face the Golden Tornado. Start time is slated for 7:00 pm.

JV Update: The NA JV team won 2-0 over Pine-Richland (25-16, 25-14).

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PINE-RICHLAND  - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TROUNCE TITANS IN SECTION OPENER

(3/26/13) The top-ranked team in the state, the North Allegheny Tigers, opened their section schedule with a 3-0 victory at Shaler on Tuesday night. The Tigers steamrolled the Titans with set scores of 25-8, 25-12, and 25-11.

North Allegheny raced out of the gates behind the big swings of senior Tommy Keisling who posted five of his game-high nine kills in the opening set. From there, the rout was on as junior Mitch Higgins added another six kills offensively. Junior David Haus and senior Luke Koenig kept the Titans busy with their dynamic serves, collecting three and two aces respectively. Junior Brendan Brown was tough in the middle, posting three blocks. Senior libero Suyash Fulay garnered a team-high 12 digs, while setter Joe Murphy followed with five digs and a team-high 18 assists.

The Tigers begin the young season with a 1-0 mark and will return to action tonight with a home meeting with the Pine-Richland Rams. The match will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. Game time is slated for 7:00 pm.

JV Update: The NA JV team won 2-0 over Shaler (25-9, 25-17).

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORWIN  - 0
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

AMBRIDGE BLOCKS TIGERS TITLE HOPES AT NA INVITATIONAL

(3/24/13) The North Allegheny Boys Volleyball Team opened the 2013 season by taking second place at the NA Invitational on Saturday. The Tigers raced through Pool B with wins over Plum, Manheim Central and Our Lady of Sacred Heart to begin the annual tournament. In Pool F, consisting of all first place teams from the original pools, North Allegheny swept Derry, Fox Chapel and split with Ambridge to earn the number one seed in the invitational playoffs.

The Tigers topped Penn Hills 25-19 in the Preliminary Round, edged Central York 25-23 in the quarterfinals, and defeated Manheim Central for a second time, 2-0 (25-20, 25-23). However, in the tournament championship, the Bridgers from Ambridge narrowly defeated North Allegheny, 2-1 (25-20, 15-25, 17-15).

With a strong showing to begin the year, senior Tommy Keisling led the Tigers with 50 kills and 10 aces during the tournament. Senior Daniel Rodgers topped NA in blocks with 10, while defensive stalwarts Suyash Fulay and Joe Murphy had 38 and 28 digs respectively.  Murphy, the Tigers top-notch setter, helped his teammates for big swings with 149 assists.

North Allegheny will play their first section games this week with a visit to Shaler on Tuesday and a home meeting with Pine-Richland on Wednesday night. The home contest against the Rams will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

Pool B
defeated Plum 25-19
defeated Manheim Central 25-22
defeated OLSH 25-17
 
Pool F (all 1st place teams from original pools)
defeated Derry 2-0 (25-16; 25-15)
defeated Fox Chapel 2-0 (25-15; 25-17)
split with Ambridge 1-1 (25-23; 27-29)
 
Tigers won pool F on a tiebreaker with Ambridge and had the 1-seed in the playoffs.
 
Preliminary Rd: NA defeated Penn Hills 25-19
Quarters: NA defeated Central York 25-23
Semis: NA defeated Manheim Central 2-0 (25-20; 25-23)
Championship: NA lost to Ambridge 1-2 (20-25; 25-15; 15-17)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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