PIAA volleyball: Kate Southwell leads clutch rally, Mars fends off Hampton in Class 3A quarterfinals

November 09, 2024 Last Updated: November 10, 2024 06:13 PM Sports

Mars' girls volleyball team celebrates their victory over Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' Rylee Wooldridge spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' Cecilia Christy, left, and Kate Southwell block against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' Ella Nicotra celebrates a point against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' Cecilia Christy spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' Lily Javor spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars Alaina Graham, left, and Rylee Wooldridge hold hands before the start of the fourth set against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

Mars' girls volleyball team celebrates their victory over Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' girls volleyball team defeated Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' Rylee Wooldridge spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' Cecilia Christy, left, and Kate Southwell block against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' Ella Nicotra celebrates a point against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' Cecilia Christy spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars' Lily Javor spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)
Mars Alaina Graham, left, and Rylee Wooldridge hold hands before the start of the fourth set against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (11/9/2024)

WEXFORD — Lengthy playoff runs require clutch efforts from more than just one or two players on a team’s roster.

When her team needed it the most, Mars’ Kate Southwell answered the call.

In Saturday’s PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal against Hampton, the Planets had already dropped the first set and were down 16-10 in the second at North Allegheny High School.

Mars reeled off 12 straight points, with Southwell dropping four kills in that span, sparking a win to pull the team even.

The Planets went on to a 3-2 victory by set scores of 19-25, 25-22, 29-27, 25-27 and 15-10 to advance to the semifinals 6 p.m. Tuesday at North Allegheny High School.

Mars' girls volleyball team celebrates its victory over Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Mars will take on Beaver, which swept Greencastle-Antrim in another quarterfinal, in a rematch of the WPIAL championship match won by Mars.

It was a kill from Cecilia Christy that pulled the Planets to within 16-11 in the second set. The serve was returned to Mars with Rylee Wooldridge behind the line. Southwell and Christy (two blocks and two kills) led the rally.

“I just wanted to leave my mark on this match,” said Southwell, a sophomore who moved from outside hitter to middle hitter this year. “I’m excited that we still have a chance to add another banner in the gym.”

Following Mars’ spree of points, the Planets (20-4) still had work to do. The third and fourth sets were incredibly tight. Christy had five kills to help the Planets prevail in the former, but the Talbots received at least five kills from three different players to win the fourth.

Mars' Cecilia Christy, left, and Kate Southwell block an attack by a Hampton player in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

In the deciding fifth set, Wooldridge and Christy helped Mars gain an early lead before Ella Nicotra tallied three late kills, including the final point of the match.

“We brought the energy we needed into that fifth set,” said Christy, whose day included 20 kills. “Each of us was focused on what we needed to do on every point.”

Mars topped Hampton twice in the regular season, 3-0 and 3-1.

“Hampton was a different team today from what we saw earlier this season,” Christy said.

Gabi Weidemann had 53 assists for the Planets, Alaina Graham 23 digs and Wooldridge added 12 kills.

Hampton (15-7) proved to be the much sharper team early on. Mars had four service errors early in the first set while the Talbots’ Marin Katona-Bock and Payton Galietti helped Hampton build and sustain a lead.

Mars' Rylee Wooldridge spikes the ball against Hampton in a PIAA Class 3A girls volleyball quarterfinal at North Allegheny Senior High School on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Katie Christy joined Hampton’s prowess at the net in the second set, and the Talbots were on the cusp of taking a commanding 2-0 lead.

“Hampton came out and took it to us early on,” Mars coach Tami Caraway said. “I think we were a bit mentally tired today, and every team is going to give us their best shot.

“After falling behind, we told the girls that whatever they had left, now is the time to use it.”

Hampton won the WPIAL Class 3A title last year before reaching the state championship match. The Talbots returned three starters from that team, including Katona-Bock, who had 24 kills Saturday.

“We came out with a lot of energy to start today, but Mars is a good team,” Hampton coach Dainen Holler said. “They’re going to adjust and make you earn points.”