Penn-Trafford girls volleyball in unfamiliar position after early-season losses

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 21, 2018 | 8:12 PM

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The Penn-Trafford girls volleyball team started the season in some uncharted territory.

Coming off a section title last season, the Warriors started this season with four straight losses. While section losses to Connellsville, Latrobe and Hempfield have put the team behind the 8-ball in the standings, Penn-Trafford coach Jim Schall said many of the early-season struggles can be fixed.

“This is not where we want to be,” Schall said. “We have been competitive in all of our matches. I feel with some improvements, we can get some wins.

“There has been too many errors. Even in games where we have leads, we give away way so many points.”

The Warriors ended the season-opening winless streak with a 3-1 win over Plum on Sept. 18. Stephanie O’Donnell led the team with nine kills while Bella Long added seven.

Penn-Trafford welcomed Long back last week after she missed several matches early in the schedule with an injury. The junior outside hitter has been a contributor on the court since her freshman season.

“She is a good all-around player,” Schall said. “As a freshman, she played in the front row. Last year, she played all the way around. She is a good athlete.”

The team has a small senior class with only three players. At middle hitter, 6-foot-1 O’Donnell brings size and experience to the court. Kayla Turkowski was a back-row player last season but moved to outside hitter this year.

“(O’Donnell) has been our best hitter and blocker,” Schall said. “She has done well. (Turkowski) is a very good player.”

The team’s third senior is defensive specialist Christina Castellano.

The junior class has made major contributions to the team. Makenzie MacFarlane is a defensive specialist. Emily Biroscak and Maeve Kelly are both new to the varsity level but have done well in hitter roles.

“(Junior) Meghan Alexander is setting for us,” Schall said. “She is a junior who was on the junior varsity team last season and has some varsity setting experience.”

Sophomore Julia Hauck is seeing time at middle hitter. Sophomore Madison Suman and freshman Maura Suman have both found a role in the back row.

While it was a slow start, Penn-Trafford is focused on improvement. The Section 3-4A schedule won’t get any easier. With a series against Norwin and rematches with Connellsville, Hempfield and Latrobe still on the schedule, it is going be tough. But Schall would like to see his team contend for a WPIAL playoff berth.

The Warriors have missed the postseason only once in the last decade.

“I think the section is pretty balanced,” Schall said. “Latrobe and Connellsville are pretty good teams. Hempfield is pretty balanced. There are a number of competitive teams in the section this season.

“I think being winless (was) tough. But we need to take it match by match. I would like to see us get in the playoffs.”

Nathan Smith is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn-Trafford