WPIAL volleyball playoffs: Mars gets past Freeport, moves to championship match
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Mars (11) Ella Nictora saves the ball against Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (11) Ella Nictora saves the ball against Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (14) Hailey Duker taps the ball over Freeport (24) Caylee Zembrzuski in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars celebrates after defeating Freeport 3-2 in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars celebrates after defeating Freeport 3-2 in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars celebrates after defeating Freeport 3-2 in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars celebrates after defeating Freeport 3-2 in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (24) Caylee Zembrzuski stretches out to save the ball against Mars in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (12) Lily Javor bumps the ball against Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (11) Ella Nicotra celebrates after scoring a point against Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (5) Rylee Wooldridge hits the ball over Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars vs Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars vs Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars vs Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars vs Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars vs Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (24) Cecilia Christy and (5) Rylee Wooldridge blocks a hit by Freeport (3) Ruby Furer in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (24) Cecilia Christy spikes the ball as its blocked by Freeport (13) Alaina Whitlinger in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (24) Cecilia Christy spikes the ball on Freeport (23) Jayme Radvan in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (13) Alaina Whitlinger celebrates with (8) Jasia Gailot in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Mars (12) Lily Javor and (5) Rylee Wooldridge run into each other as they hit the ball against Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
WEXFORD — Freeport had match point. Mars had an answer.
Leading their WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinal 2-1 against the Planets on Wednesday night at North Allegheny, the Yellowjackets led the fourth set, 24-23. On match point, however, Mars junior forward Cecelia Christy came up with the tying kill and the Planets went on to win the set, 26-24.
Mars (17-4) never trailed in the fifth set, taking a 15-11 victory and a 3-2 win in the match.
The Planets advance to their first WPIAL title match since 2012. They will face either Beaver or Hampton on Saturday at Peters Township High School. Time of the match will be announced.
Freeport (13-4) will also play Saturday at Peters Township in the WPIAL 3A consolation match in a bid to join the PIAA Tournament. Three of the Yellowjackets’ losses this season have been to the Planets. Mars defeated Freeport 3-0 and 3-2 during the regular season.
“This was a great match and we had our shot (at match point),” Freeport coach Tom Phillips said. “Mars has an experienced team and I think that made the difference. We had three freshmen and two sophomores out there at times.
“Mistakes are gonna happen and we made a few tonight.”
Mars’ victory Wednesday night was by scores of 23-25, 25-16, 2125, 26-24, 15-11.
“It’s a tremendous achievement,” Mars coach Tamara Caraway said of defeating Freeport three times in one season. “That is a seasoned program that’s accustomed to playoff atmosphere like this. Our girls are new to this. But I have a confident group and they responded well.”
Mars had a 21-17 lead in the first set before watching Freeport score eight of the set’s final 10 points to steal it away. After the Planets pulled away to win the second set, the third set was even at 20. A pair of kills by senior Leah Schreckengost helped the Yellowjackets pull out the 25-21 decision.
Still, the Planets never blinked.
“We love to compete,” Christy said. “The environment here was so much fun. I’m so excited right now.”
Once the match went to a fifth set, the Planets took control. Mars jumped out to leads of 3-0, 8-3 and 13-7 before ending the match on a Christy kill. Mars senior Lily Javor had five kills and Christy four during that final set.
“When our team huddled up before that last set, I said this set belongs to us. It does not belong to them,” Javor said. “We’re all very competitive. We were going to make this happen.”
Mars advanced to the WPIAL final for the first time since 2012. Freeport had a streak of three successive trips to the finals snapped. Christy had 16 kills on the night, Javor adding 12. Ella Nicota contributed eight kills and three service aces.
“Lily’s been playing varsity since she was a freshman. I’m so happy she gets to experience this,” Caraway said. “To see my team come out and perform like this in such a high-pressure match and different environment is pure joy to me.”
Alaina Whitlinger had 27 kills and Schreckengost 13 for the Yellowjackets.
“Alaina and Leah played their butts off tonight,” Phillips said. “I’m very proud of my team. Hopefully, our young girls will get a chance to experience the PIAA tournament.”
