North Catholic girls volleyball downs Seneca Valley
CRANBERRY TWP — North Catholic’s girls volleyball team is accustomed to deep runs in the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs, so the Trojanettes are no strangers to tense moments on the court.
That experience can only help them as they navigate through their first season in the always difficult Section 2-4A.
Wednesday night, North had to fight off a fierce rally from visiting Seneca Valley to prevail 3-1.
Down two sets to none, the Raiders won the third and had a lead late in the fourth before the Trojanettes celebrated victory by scores of 25-15, 25-21, 25-27 and 25-23.
Two late kills from Ella Koziara and a service ace from Sienna Cozza sealed the third section win of the season for North (6-1, 3-1), which just three years ago was a Class 2A team. The last two years yielded back-to-back appearances in the WPIAL 3A title game, included a district crown in 2022.
“We played a lot of these (4A) teams in tournaments the last few years and now being in this section, the girls have embraced the challenge,” said North coach Amanda Fetter. “Our goals have remained the same — one day, one ball at a time.
“We don’t talk much about our past accomplishments.”
Koziara had a game-high 19 kills.
Junior Kennedy Peffer, who finished the night with 11 kills, led SV’s rally. Eva Beres added seven kills over the final two sets.
“We just started out too slow tonight,” said SV coach Brett Poirier. “We came on, but it was too late.
“I am proud of the girls for coming back from down 2-0 in another team’s gym. They don’t give up.”
The Raiders (5-4, 1-3) were plagued by service and hitting errors early, but those frustrations belonged to North over much of the final two sets.
“We played so well early on, but Seneca had so much energy in that third set and it caught us a bit off-guard,” said North sophomore outside hitter Audra Lazzara, who had 10 kills. “Being a 4A team is definitely a challenge, but nothing we can’t handle.”
Fetter did not figure her team would have an easy time with the Raiders, a perennial WPIAL playoff team.
“They are a very good team and I’m not surprised they came back,” she said. “Volleyball is a game of rhythm and once a team gets it, it can hold onto it for a while.”
Cozza added nine kills for the Trojanettes.
