close

Trinity dumps Lincoln Park but wants more

4 min read
1 / 5

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Jaqueline Hancher sets the play for the Hillers as Trinity cruised to victory in the third set of the WPIAL Class 3A playoff match against Lincoln Park at Hiller Hall on Monday.

2 / 5

Mark Maerietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Trinity’s Rylee Elling scores one of her 10 kills of the evening in the third set of the Hillers’ WPIAL Class 3A playoff match against Lincoln Park at Trinity’s Hiller Hall Monday.

3 / 5

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Chartiers-Houston's Mia Mitrik, center, and Cate Hansberry combine for a block that slowed Ligonier Valley's momentum in the opening set of the WPIAL Class 2A playoff match at Trinity High School.

4 / 5

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Chartiers-Houston's Meadow Ferri (15) sets up teammate Mia Mitrik for a kill in the WPIAL Class 2A playoff match against Ligonier Valley at Trinity High School. Mitrik had three digs, four aces, and ten kills in the match.

5 / 5

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Trinity's Sarah Hartmann takes the serve and sets the play as the Hillers dispatched Lincoln Park in the third set of the WPIAL Class 3A playoff match Monday.

Last year, Trinity High School’s girls volleyball team snapped an almost decade-long drought from the WPIAL playoffs with a short stay.

This year, the Hillers want to hang around a little longer.

They took the first step Monday night in sweeping Lincoln Park, 25-12, 25-20 and 25-13 in the Class 3A first round.

The Hillers (11-3) advance to the next round, where No.5 seed Armstrong awaits.

“We had to make sure we took care of our side of the net,” said Trinity head coach Erin Helmkamp. “We had to serve aggressively, we had to pass well and we had to earn our points.”

And they had to rally.

“That’s key to us playing our game,” Helmkamp said. “That was really key that we can have a server for more than a point or two and go on a run.”

Maddy Roberts had 10 kills, Rylee Elling had 10 kills, Jacqueline Hancher had six kills, Rayne Elling had 9 digs and 4 aces, and Claudia Cappelli had 28 assists.

Anna Tanner had 17 assists and 15 blocks for Lincoln Park (7-8). Kennedy Miller had 10 kills and Madeline Shriver had 3 blocks.

“We have a problem with mental toughness,” said Sarah Saut, who took over the Lincoln Park program five years ago and is making a second straight appearance in the playoffs. “We have to work on that.”

Ligonier Valley, 3-1

Normally, the start of the WPIAL volleyball matches teams that know little or nothing about each other.

Such was the case with Ligonier Valley and Chartiers-Houston. The Rams came in with an 7-8 record and a different way to serve.

Ligonier Valley used the different way to serve to its advantage as the Rams defeated Chartiers-Houston 3-1 in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs at Trinity High School.

Chartiers-Houston’s season comes to an end.

“We don’t really see it in our section too much,” said Chartiers-Houston head coach Carrie Hansberry. “The toss, everything has to be right for the jump serve.”

In the first game, Chartiers-Houston couldn’t adjust to the jump serves, which sends the ball over the net at a severe angle and forces it to head to the floor quicker.

Chartiers-Houston played only two teams in the area that used that type of serve. She did have some players come into practice who knew the technique.

The serves had the desired affect as Ligonier Valley jumped to an 11-1 lead on the way to a 25-19 win.

Chartiers-Houston seemed to adjust to the serving style the rest of the way as the matches tightened. Ligonier Valley showed the cracks in the second match, dropping eight of nine points throught the middle. Chartiers-Houston put the match away, 24-17, when Ligonier Valley served the ball into the back of the head of front-line teammate.

“I think we grabbed momentum,” Hansberry said. “I know we got them thinking. We got them a little wary. “

But Ligonier Valley was resilient, jumping out to leads of 9-3 and 15-6. Even though Chartiers-Houston rallied at the end, scoring eight of nine possible points and cutting the Rams’ lead to 24-22 before they got the winning point on a ball out.

The fourth and final match was the best of the bunch, a back-and-forth affair that was tied at 15-15 when Ligonier Valley took control. The Rams scored the final six points for a 25-19 victory.

Jess Scott had 16 digs, 13 kills 2 aces, Cate Hansberry had 12 digs, 28 assists, 3 kills and one ace. Meadow Ferri had six kills. Emily Harvey had 14 digs and 5 aces. Mia Mitrik had 3 dig, 10 kills and 4 aces.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today