Talented Latrobe girls volleyball out to prove last year was not a ‘flash in the pan’

By: Ted Sarneso
Monday, October 9, 2023 | 10:58 AM

Previous Next

Latrobe girls volleyball has something to prove this season.

Last year, the Wildcats went undefeated and made it to the WPIAL semifinals before bowing out to South Fayette in four sets.

Then, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs, they lost to North Catholic.

“We were on track to do much better last year,” coach Drew Vosefski said. “But our top outside hitter, Elli Snyder, broke her ankle in the last home match last year. We went into the playoffs missing one of our big guns.”

This year, Latrobe opened with a 3-0 loss at the hands of Penn-Trafford before running off a six-game winning streak to propel it up the standings in Section 5-3A.

After back-to-back 3-0 sweeps of Laurel and Highlands and a 3-1 win against Greensburg Salem, Latrobe won a hard- fought 3-2 victory at Franklin Regional.

“This year we’re out to prove we weren’t a flash in the pan,” Vosefski said.

“To show we are a solid program, and we’ll be in the playoffs every year.”

Then, after a 3-0 sweep of rival Derry, the Wildcats edged section leader Armstrong, 3-2, on Sept. 19.

“It’s always a good feeling to beat Armstrong,” Vosefski said. “They’re a well-coached, well-disciplined team. Since our move to 3A last year, we’ve played them three times, and each time we’ve had to go five sets to decide the match.”

The Wildcats (8-2, 6-1) entered the week in first place after back-to-back wins against Indiana and Highlands.

Though Latrobe lost 10 graduates, the team hasn’t lost much of a step, something Vosefski credited to his staff developing players.

“It just shows the way we teach the game is the strength of our program,” Vosefski said. “The kids perform to our expectations and come up to the varsity level and play.”

Senior setter Ava Krehlik agreed, saying, “Coach V is hard on us, but it makes us better players every day. If we had a more lenient coach, we wouldn’t be able to do the things we’re able to do.”

Added defensive specialist Mackenzie Myers: “Playing for Coach V is exciting and exhilarating, and I love the way we compete as a team.”

Vosefski counts on all of his players but tabbed senior outside hitter Snyder and assists leader Krehlik as main contributors.

“Everything runs through your setter and, with Elli breaking her ankle last year, she’s on a mission to show that she’s top dog,” he said.

Two juniors who are in their first year as varsity players also are playing lights out. Ashley Deniker leads the team in blocks, and Mia Myers is a steady force on the right side.

Vosefski added that Myers was playing so well defensively that he had to convert her from outside hitter because he simply “could not keep her off the floor.”

“I’ve got a deep reservoir of talent,” he said. “I can plug and play people in positions they haven’t played before, and they’ll step up and do the job.”

Junior Chiara Mongelluzzo, the team leader in aces, has a complete repertoire of shots and can place the ball anywhere.

“We’re really good friends on and off the court,” Mongelluzzo said.

“We lift each other up. We never tear each other down.”

As for his younger players, Vosefski has a couple of standouts from the 2022 JV team who have prominent roles on varsity.

“Sophomore Savannah Repak has proven herself to be our middle blocker (No.) two,” Vosefski said. “And sophomore Peyton Ferraro earned her spot on varsity this year with how she blew us away with her defensive ability.”

Vosefski’s young team is proud of its accomplishments so far and knows its goals are within reach.

“We want to win the section, and we know to do that we’re going to have to take it one step at a time,” Mia Myers said.

“The goal is to go as deep into the playoffs as possible,” Vosefski added. “Hopefully, we come out with a WPIAL championship and a couple all-WPIAL players.”

Tags: Latrobe