Late momentum shift helps Greensburg Central Catholic top Frazier, advance to PIAA volleyball final
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Tuesday, November 12, 2024 | 10:14 PM
Greensburg Central Catholic players celebrate after beating Frazier in a PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal Tuesday.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Maura Oslosky makes a pass against Frazier during a PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal Tuesday
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Erin Grace and Maura Oslosky put up a block on Frazier’s Allie Monack during a PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal Tuesday.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Ashlyn Black hits against Frazier’s Allie Monack (11) and Addison Schultz during a PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal Tuesday
Frazier’s Grace Vaughn hits against GCC’s Erin Grace and Maura Oslosky during girls the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
Frazier’s Gracen Hartman hits against GCC during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
GCC’s Evelyn Viehl blocks the shot of Frazier’s Addison Schultz during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
GCC’s Eva Denis hits against Frazier’s Gracen Hartman during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
GCC’s Ashlyn Black hits against Frazier’s Allie Monack (11) and Addison Schultz during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
Frazier’s Grace Vaughn and Mia West defend GCC’s Maura Oslosky during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
Frazier’s Allie Monack hits against GCC’s Maura Oslosky during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
Frazier’s Gracen Hartman hits against GCC during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
Frazier’s Madelyn Salisbury hits against GCC’s Eva Denis and Kathryn Tressler during the PIAA Class A semifinals Tuesday at Norwin,
Momentum swung wildly Tuesday during the PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal at Norwin between Greensburg Central Catholic and Frazier.
The Centurions had it during the first two games, then the Commodores grabbed it in the third and fourth games.
But it was Greensburg Central Catholic that reclaimed it in the fifth game for a 3-2 victory to earn a trip to the state championship match Saturday at Cumberland Valley. The Centurions will face District 3 champion Linville Hill, which defeated District 1 champion Faith Christian, 3-1.
The championship match is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
Greensburg Central Catholic is looking for its third PIAA title. The previous two came in 2014 and 2016.
It was the fourth meeting between the section rivals this season. The Commodores won the section battles, but the Centurions swept Frazier for the WPIAL title.
Heading into the postseason, the GCC squad wanted to reach the WPIAL final and win. Mission accomplished.
“Now we want to win it all,” GCC senior Eva Denis said. “We proved to ourselves that we were a better team.”
Both teams had their dominant moments during the first four games.
GCC (20-3) built a 14-4 lead in Game 1 thanks to the play of Ashlyn Black and Erin Grace. But Frazier rallied to within 24-23 and looked to have tied the score when a GCC shot sailed long.
But the officials ruled Frazier touched the ball at the net, and GCC was awarded a 25-23 victory.
Black had six kills during the game. Frazier rallied behind the serving of senior Grace Vaughn.
“We got caught up in the moment again,” Frazier coach Mandy Hartman said. “I do not think we were sluggish, and it’s not a lack of caring. It was, ‘Wow, this is a big game,’ and, you know, sometimes you think a little too much while you’re playing.”
GCC took command by winning Game 2, 25-23, and again it was Black leading the way with 11 kills.
In fact, Frazier led 23-22 when Denis had a kill to tie the score, and Black finished the game with two kills.
But Frazier won Game 3, 25-21 and rolled to a 25-8 win in Game 4.
Addison Schultz, Madelyn Salisbury, Vaughn and Allie Monack led the way. Schultz and Vaughn finished with 14 kills each, and Salisbury and Monack 13 each.
“We switched Addison up against someone different because she has a big swing and she put us ahead unexpectedly,” Hartman said. “GCC adjusted to that. They’ve got a lot of weapons from the front row and back row, and their defense is solid. They are a little better than us.”
GCC senior Brianna Evans said the difference in the final game was “want.”
“We wanted it more,” Evans said. “We weren’t going to lose.”
Black gave GCC the lead in Game 5 with a kill, and Maura Oslosky followed with an ace.
Frazier tied it 2-2 on two Salisbury kills. But then GCC slowly took control and pulled away for a 15-8 victory, a kill by Evelyn Viehl ending it.
“We looked a little bit like we were just going to lay down in Game 4,” GCC coach Erin Salas said. “But before the fifth set, we talked about that we don’t want this to be a repeat.
“We’ve been putting is so much work, and they’re a very good team. We knew Frazier wasn’t going to lie down for us. So we decided to go point-by-point.”
Frazier (17-5) had the momentum, but Salas knew her team was going to fight.
“This is a good group, and nothing has come easy for us,” she said. “Getting the lead in Game 5 was huge.”
Denis said she was surprised that Frazier rallied like it did.
“I feel we were mentally stronger,” Denis said. “We did not let them get into our heads. We let them get in their own heads and let them make the mistakes.”
Hartman said she was proud of the way her team battled back.
“It’s been a great season, and we came a couple points short of playing for the state championship,” Hartman said. “It just wasn’t meant to be.”
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
Tags: Frazier, Greensburg C.C.
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