Tigers’ Serving Baffles Blue Streaks For PIAA First Round Sweep
by Randy Gore
With a WPIAL championship already under their belts, the North Allegheny Tigers began their quest for a state championship on Tuesday night with a 3-0 sweep over Manheim Township at UPMC Court. The Tigers prevailed by set scores of 25-18, 25-14 and 25-18.
The seven-time reigning PIAA champions hosted a Manheim Township squad that was appearing in the state playoffs for the first time since 2000. The Blue Streaks, the fourth-place finisher in District 3, hung tough with the Tigers early and trailed by just a point, 18-17, led in part by three kills from junior Mackenzie Wagner. However, North Allegheny, appearing in the state playoffs for the 12th time in the last 13 years, responded by winning seven of the final eight points to claim a 25-18 win. Senior Mack Jones spearheaded the effort with three kills, a block and two aces for the set’s final two points. For her efforts, Jones was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Match.
It appeared Manheim Township might again provide stiff resistance in set two, with the score tied 9-9. Similar to Saturday’s WPIAL championship, NA’s efforts in set two were sparked by senior outside hitter Hannah DeLucia, who tallied four kills on her way to a six-kill performance. With DeLucia leading the charge, the Tigers pulled away for a comfortable 25-14 win in set two.
Trailing 3-2 in the early going in set three, the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to grab a 9-3 advantage. The run was spearheaded by the serving of senior libero Macey Casten, who baffled the Blue Streaks with three aces. Casten finished with a team-high five aces and 17 digs on the evening.
North Allegheny built a 17-8 lead in set three, but Manheim Township wouldn’t go down without a fight. A 5-0 run by the Blue Streaks, paced by senior middle hitter Emily Edelman’s five kills, trimmed the Tigers lead to 17-13. Following a timeout by coach Russ Hoburg, North Allegheny got back to business and rolled to a 25-18 victory and sweep of Manheim Township. Apropos of the evening, the contest ended on an ace by sophomore Molly Robertson. In all, the Tigers tallied an impressive 15 aces in the victory.
Robertson was the team leader in kills with nine, followed by senior Bridget Murphy and Alicia Mokube with seven kills apiece. Junior Keely McMahon-Regan facilitated the offense with a team-high 21 assists, followed by Jones with six assists. Murphy’s presence at the net loomed large as the IUP commit totaled a team-best three blocks. Junior Reagan Riordan chipped in with seven digs and three aces.
With the win, North Allegheny improves to 17-1 overall, while Manheim Township’s season ends with a 16-5 record. The Tigers advance to the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals to face off against District 1 runner-up Bishop Shanahan, who outlasted Dallastown in five sets in their opening-round contest. NA and Bishop Shanahan will duel on Saturday at a site and time to be determined. The contest will be broadcast live by the North Allegheny Sports Network.
Girls Volleyball Summary vs. Manehim Township, 11-5-24
| SCORE BY SETS | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manheim Township | 18 | 14 | 18 | 0 |
| North Allegheny | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
