Kiski Area wins 3rd straight Pack the Park girls volleyball match
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Tuesday, September 3, 2024 | 9:45 PM
Kiski Area’s Gianna DeVito spikes on Norwin’s Natalie Aquilio on Tuesday during the annual Pack the Park match at the Ellen Toy Grass Court at Kennedy Park.
Norwin’s Gemma Moffatt gets to the ball against Kiski Area on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, during the annual Pack the Park match at the Ellen Toy Grass Court at Kennedy Park.
Norwin’s Brandi Brozeski blocks the shot of Kiski Area’s Jael Ledbetter on Tuesday during the annual Pack the Park match.
Norwin’s Lainey Pergar blocks the shot of Kiski Area’s Lila Welshans on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, during the annual Pack the Park match at the Ellen Toy Grass Court at Kennedy Park.
Norwin’s Isabella Deering serves as shadows stretch across the court during a match against Kiski Area on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at the Ellen Toy Grass Court at Kennedy Park.
Last year’s Pack the Park girls volleyball event and match between Norwin and Kiski Area at the Ellen Toy Grass Court in Vandergrift’s Kennedy Park didn’t face any adverse weather conditions such as what chased both teams inside Kiski Area High School one year earlier.
The outdoor crowd who watched the JV and varsity games Tuesday evening also did so in sunny and comfortable early-evening weather as the Knights and Cavaliers renewed what has become an early-season tradition.
Kiski Area won the varsity match 3-2. It is the third win in a row for the Cavaliers in the Pack the Park series after Norwin won the first matchup in 2021.
But the meaning of the evening and the celebration of high school girls volleyball went far beyond the final score of the nonconference contest between the friendly rivals.
“It means so much to be a part of this event and to understand that while it’s nice to win the match, there is such a deeper meaning with such a special cause,” said senior libero and team captain Maddie Joyce who ran off a series of strong serves, including a pair of aces, in Game 5 to lead the Cavaliers to a 15-5 win in the clincher.
Junior Lila Welshans delivered the final hit for the victorious Cavaliers.
“I had an idea that this would go to five sets,” Joyce said. “Us and Norwin always seem to be pretty competitive against each other.”
Pack the Park helps raise funds each year for the We Serve First Foundation, started with the help of Tim Toy to honor the memory and legacy of his late wife, Ellen Toy, who coached volleyball for many years at Kiski Area and other schools in the Alle-Kiski Valley.
The first Pack the Park match between the Cavaliers and Knights was in 2021 with Norwin winning 3-1. In 2022, Kiski Area returned the favor and scored a 3-2 victory.
“It’s always a close match between these two,” Toy said. “There’s a very storied history behind this rivalry, especially when they played each other in the playoffs quite a bit back when Ellen played. Our official tonight, Sharon Watson, was the coach of those teams at Norwin. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame. It was so great to have her here.”
Kiski led 16-13 in Game 1 before Norwin rallied to take a 22-20 advantage. But the Cavaliers prevailed 25-23 when a hit from senior Jael Ledbetter at game point wasn’t successfully handled by the Knights’ defense.
Norwin rebounded and took Game 2, 25-13. The Knights jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back.
The Cavaliers won Game 3, 25-19, as a hit from Norwin at the net landed out of bounds wide.
But as it did in Game 2, Norwin responded to the Kiski Area victory and took Game 4, 25-17. The Cavaliers led the game, 9-7, but the Knights used an 8-1 run to move ahead 15-10.
Norwin senior outside hitter Addison Matovich delivered an emphatic kill to close out the win and force Game 5.
“This is such a great time in an awesome outdoor atmosphere,” said Kiski Area coach Dakota Fickes. who experienced the Pack the Park match for the first time last year. “It’s been such a good game, and the weather’s been great the past two years. We’re the only two teams that compete in an outdoor match on a grass court. It’s something special these girls won’t forget.”
Norwin, under the direction of veteran coach Mary Ellen Ferragonio, a longtime friend and coaching colleague of Ellen Toy, said it is special for her and for her team to be a part of this event for the fourth time.
“We want to be here because it is for a good cause and for a coach in Ellen we knew so well in her honor and in her memory,” Ferragonio said. “(Vandergrift) is such a great town, and there is such community support. It takes a lot of grit to play on a (grass) surface like this. Both teams did really well.”
Toy said there were so many people who came together to make the event possible.
“(Kiski Area athletic director) John Peterman and his staff have been so supportive with bringing in all the equipment for this event. It’s not easy to do, and they put out quite a show to make it such a success,” said Toy, who hopes Norwin will be able to come back to Kennedy Park for a fifth Pack the Park matchup in 2025.
“Jim Joyce also made sure we had everything we needed with fudge, cookies and water. My family and Ellen’s family coming out as well is what helps this keep going, too.”
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
Tags: Kiski Area, Norwin
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