Pine-Richland Wins Third WPIAL Girls Volleyball AAA Crown

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, November 7, 2010 | 12:00 AM

Hats off to the WPIAL Girls Volleyball steering committee as they got all of the top two seeds playing for the Championships in all three classifications this season. This particular conflict featured two northern suburban schools that do not have an affinity for one another on the volleyball court. The number one seeded Pine-Richland Rams entered Saturday's final with an unblemished record of (15-0) and are the Section 3 AAA Champions. The second seeded Seneca Valley Raiders came in with a (13-2) record and were the second place finishers behind Pine-Richland in Section 3 AAA this season.

In addition, the Rams gave the Raiders their only two losses this season. Since suffering that second loss to Pine-Richland, Raiders head coach Karen Martini had made some changes to her lineup that she thought might get her squad over the hump against the Rams in this Title Tilt.

The Rams post-season road to Franklin Regional High School the site for all three Championship matches had gone rather smoothly. After receiving a bye into the quarterfinals, Pine-Richland had swept the #8 seeded Kiski Area Cavaliers, 3-0, at home. In the semifinals on Thursday night they threw a blank job on the #4 seeded Upper St. Clair Panthers, 3 sets to none.

Seneca Valley's quest to the finals began with a 3-0 sweep of the #15 seeded Plum Mustangs at home in Harmony, PA in the first round. They proceeded to eliminate the 10th seeded Latrobe Wildcats, 3-1, in the quarterfinals and in the semifinals they sent home their fellow section foe, the six seeded North Allegheny Tigers, in three sets, 3-0.

It should be said that the strongest Class AAA girls volleyball section in the WPIAL resides in Section 3 AAA until some team from another Class AAA section can eliminate one of the top three teams (Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley and North Allegheny from all advancing to the semifinal round each year).

Game number one began rather promising for the Raiders as this extremely fast and well paced match between these two rivals maintained an exciting and intense competition. The Rams took the lead at (4-3) and stayed in front by at least one point up to (14-13) but with freshmen, 5'7" defensive specialist, Angela Seman behind the service line and recording (5) straight service points, Seneca Valley went from being behind (14-13) to going ahead (18-14). It was the largest consecutive point streak of the first game. Pine-Richland fought back to take a (23-22) lead and tied the set at (24-24) before the Raiders tallied the last two points and won a hard fought first game when junior, 5'10" setter Alex Karika put down a termination to give Seneca Valley a 26-24 win in the first set.

Pine-Richland broke away from a (6-6) tie in game number two and led the rest of the way in this set in tying the Class AAA Championship match at one set each. The Rams led from between one point at (8-7) to as many as seven points (22-15) before tying up this Class AAA Championship match at one set each with a 25-20 victory in game two. As the contest headed into the "oh so" important game three the atmosphere in the gymnasium was reaching a fever pitch.

Seneca Valley broke from the starting gate in set number three by quickly scoring the first three points to take a (3-0) lead. The Raiders led (6-2) and (7-3) before the Rams scored four consecutive points to even the score at (7-7). Seneca Valley then led at (8-7) and (9-8) before Pine-Richland sprinted away with six straight points to push into the lead at (14-9). The Raiders kept coming after the Rams and had come back to within a single point at (19-18). That is when the hardest hitting girls volleyball player in the WPIAL, Rams, senior, 5'10" outside hitter, Julia McCabe stepped behind the service line. The Duquesne University recruit tallied (5) straight service points to end the set at 25-18 and put Pine-Richland within one set of their third WPIAL Girls Volleyball Championship. The first one coming during the 2001-02 season and the most recent happening in the 2005-06 season.

Seneca Valley's backs were now firmly against the wall entering the must win game four. The Raiders scored the first point of the set and held their last lead of the match at (3-2). Again, that is when McCabe took her turn serving for the Rams. Julia started with an ace that tied the set at (4-4) and when she finished her service work Pine-Richland would lead (8-3) and never to trail again in this match. A Rams five point run increased their margin to (14-6) followed by a P-R run of four points that moved the Rams out front (18-8). The closest that Seneca Valley would get in the remainder of the set was nine points, the latest at (24-15) before Pine-Richland ended the contest with a 25-15 win.

Seneca Valley will have to wait until next season to win their second WPIAL Girls Volleyball Championship. They won
their first during the 2004-05 season.

Both the Rams (16-0) and the Raiders (13-3) will continue on to the PIAA playoffs that start next Saturday, November 13th. Pine-Richland will begin their quest for a state championship in Pool D along with the District 8 Champion, District 10 Champion and guess what, the Seneca Valley Raiders. So, the potential is there for these two intense rivals to meet for a fourth time this season with perhaps, a state championship opportunity on the line. The third time was not the charm for Seneca Valley. Anyone ever hear of the fourth time being the charm?

Tags: Kiski School, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Upper St. Clair