Mount Lebanon Wins AAA Volleyball Gold over Fox Chapel

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, November 4, 2012 | 2:31 AM

In AAA Volleyball there were 8 teams who legitimately thought they could get to the championship game. The number three seeded Fox Chapel Foxes and the fourth seeded Mount Lebanon Blue Devils fought their way through the field to get there. In the end Mount Lebanon would win their schools 6th Girls Volleyball Title 21-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-20.

The Blue Devils still have a ways to go to catch up to the leaders in girls volleyball titles. Farrell leads with 20, Norwin is second with 15, and Baldwin third with 9. Mount Lebanon has now won three of the last 6 titles in Girls AAA. Their other three titles were won between 1997-2001.

Fox Chapel was  trying to become the 3rd team of the day to win their first ever Girls Volleyball title in the championships at Chartiers Valley high school. Greensburg Central Catholic, and Mars won earlier in the day in A and AA respectively.

Both teams were strong and in the first game were tied a total of eleven times. The Foxes using five seniors, and three juniors were the stronger team. Megan Hollingsworth in the front court and Alyson Hess the setter led the way in a hard fought 25-21 win to go up 1-0

In game two the Blue Devils came on strong leading the whole way and ran to an easy victory. Using five seniors, one junior, two sophomores, and one freshman coach Jeff Schilling got strong play as usual from Temple recruit Caroline Grattan, and Libero Kristen Mathis on the way to a 25-13 game two victory to tie the match at 1-1.

In the epic game three battle no team would give an inch. One team would go up by one point, the other would tie. Neither team would hold a lead of more than one point until late in the game.  The first thirty points the teams were tied on each number from one to fifteen. However the Foxes would score three straight to go up 18-15 and seemingly be in control of the match. Riley Herrmann dominated for the Foxes and her front court play led them. The Blue Devils would call time out and immediately score three straight to tie it at 18-18. After a 19-18 Foxes lead, Mount Lebanon would tie at 19-19 then score six of the last nine points to win 25-22 and go up in the match 2-1. The Blue Devils had great serving from freshman Kaitlyn Wilhelm brought up from the junior varsity for the playoffs.

In game four the Foxes led 1-0. This would  be their final lead as the Blue Devils would go up 5-1. Fox Chapel would cut into the lead an Mount Lebanon would surge ahead just a bit more. It went on this way the whole game and the Blue Devils would never give up the lead despite a tough fight from Fox Chapel. Rachel Amoroso the setter used her skills to set up the big hitters all game. Sophomore Mary Baich led the way with help from Alexa Pavlick in leading the Blue Devils to the game four win 25-20 and a 3-1 match win.

The Foxes who had not lost a WPIAL match since very early in the regular season finally had met their match but are still alive and will play in the state playoffs. The Blue Devils will also go into the PIAA playoffs as the number one team from the district. Both teams will play on Tuesday November 6th at a site and time to be determined.

Tags: Fox Chapel