Editor’s note: This story originally stated the C-L won a KSAC title in 2006. It was later determined that the Lady Lions did not win the KSAC title that year. The last known conference title for C-L was 1988 (when it was the Clarion County League)
CLARION, Pa. – For the first time in 35 years, Clarion-Limestone is a conference champion in volleyball.
The Lady Lions, who last stood atop a conference (Clarion County League) in 1988, sweated out a 3-2 (23-25, 25-11, 25-17, 21-25, 15-13) win over Clarion in the inaugural KSAC title match Wednesday night at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
C-L gets the KSAC trophy
“It is a great feeling,” C-L senior Alyssa Wiant said. “We knew coming in we were going to have to play a hard team. It is just great to be able to execute our plan./”
Watch Wiant’s full Cole Orthodontic Associates postgame interview
It wasn’t as easy as C-L’s 3-0 win over Clarion in the regular season.
The Lady Cats struck early and scored the final two points of the first set to win it 25-23.
C-L answered back with an easy 25-11 second-set victory before going up two sets to one with a 25-17 third-set win on the strength of a set-ending 13-3 run.
But when all seemed lost for Clarion, which was looking for its sixth straight conference crown, the Lady Cats battled back and used a 5-0 set-ending run to win the fourth set, 25-21, and set up the winner-take-all fifth set.
The gift set saw C-L jump ahead 10-5 on the strength of a 7-2 run but Clarion fought back to get within one, 10-9, on an Ali Burford kill.
But C-L seemed poised to take the set when a service error put the Lady Lions head 14-11.
Clarion, thought, scored two straight points to get within one, 14-13, before another Lady Cat serving error ended the match and gave the title to the Lady Lions.
Watch match highlights
C-L used a well-balanced attack to stay unbeaten with freshman Hannah Beggs leading the way with eight kills and Jenna Dunn adding seven kills. Wiant and Maddy Greeley each had six kills, and Ansley Burke chipped in five kills.
Kaylee Smith ran the offense for the Lady Lions with 30 set assists, and C-L had 11 aces to Clarion’s four led by four apiece from Abby Knapp-Greeley and Smith and three from Greeley.
That helped offset the fact both teams had trouble at the serving line with C-L committing 19 service errors and Clarion 20.
Offensively, Clarion was paced by Marley Kline’s 15 kills while Hadlee Campbell added six kills and Burford five kills. Kline and Buford each had aces.
Photo by Chris Rossetti
KANE 3, DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 0
KANE, Pa. – Mia Anderson had 12 kills and four blocks to help Kane to a 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-10) win over visiting DuBois Central Catholic.
Elizabeth Yasurek ran the offense with 32 set assists while reaching 500 set assists in the match (520). She added 12 digs.
Maya Smith also had 12 kills and seven digs for the Lady Wolves, and Leah Tigani chipped in 11 digs.
Jessy Frnakl had five kills and an ace for DCC while Emma Elensky and Kayley Risser each added four kills.
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AUSTIN 3, BRADFORD 2
BRADFORD, Pa. – A strong night serving from Jade Williams helped Austin hold off homestanding Bradford, 3-2 (25-23, 27-25, 22-25, 15-25, 15-7).
Williams served 10 aces and had a triple-double by adding 10 kills and 12 digs.
Isabella Rees led the Lady Panthers with 13 kills and three blocks while Savannah Horton added 12 kills.
Ella Brewer paced the Austin defense with 21 digs, and Marah Fowler ran the offense with 31 set assists.
OIL CITY 3, UNION 1
OIL CITY, Pa. – Oil City dropped the first set to visiting Union before winning three straight for a 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-23) victory.
Nicki Petro had a big night at the net for the Oilers with 19 kills while adding five blocks.
Shayla Hanlon added eight kills and Adrianna Cochran chipped in seven kills in the win. Hanlson added five aces with Cochran serving two aces.
Chayse Skinner ran the offense for Oil City with 31 set assists and also served three aces, and Nyssa Hanlon had two blocks.
HICKORY 3, WILMINGTON 1
HERMITAGE, Pa. – Hickory got 13 kills, six digs, and four aces from Leah Garm on its way to a 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 25-17) win over visiting Wilmington.
Zamyra Smith added nine kills and seven digs for the Hornets who also got seven kills from Lily Martin and 16 digs from Ariana DeBlasio.
Bella Multari ran the offense for Hickory with 21 set assists and added 12 digs.
Jenna Whitling had 19 set assists, 16 digs, and two kills for Wilmington while Lettie Mahle added nine kills, four blocks, and four digs, and Makenna Black chipped in eight kills and 15 digs.
Charlie Black also had 10 digs for the Greyhounds.
Loghan Kollar led Wilmington with 20 digs and added two kills and finished her career with 537 digs.
REYNOLDS 3, KENNEDY CATHOLIC 0
HERMITAGE, PA. – Visiting Reynolds got six kills and seven digs from Addie Floch to sweep Kennedy Catholic, 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-15).
Rylee Gearhart added eight kills, six aces, and three digs, while Kylie McAddo had 14 digs nad three kills for the Raiders.
Annie Loposky ran the Reynolds offense with 17 set assists while adding 11 digs.
UNION CITY 3, SENECA 0
UNION CITY, Pa. – Brooke VanTassel had eight kills to help Union City to a 3-0 (28-26. 25-12, 25-12) home win over Seneca.
Cathryn Reynolds added seven kills and 11 digs for the Bears who also got seven aces and six digs from Cheyenne Cummings and 10 digs from Lilly Vincent.
Alyssa Tinley ran the Union City offense with 20 set assists.
Ava Guzowski had 15 digs and five set assists for Seneca while Lilly Carrier added eight digs and Emily Stafford five digs.
Morgan Wilhelm had seven blocks for the Bobcats, Madison Morvay added six blocks, and Sam Harvey had six digs.
CRANBERRY 3, REDBANK VALLEY 0
CLARION, Pa. – In the KSAC third-place game, Cranberry got 11 kills, seven blocks, and five digs from Ayanna Ferringer to beat Redbank Valley, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-16).
Allie Rembold ran the offense for the Berries with 17 set assists while adding three aces, Sarah Schoch had nine kills, and Reyna Watson added five digs.
Taylor Ripple and Mylee Harmon had 11 kills each for Redbank Valley while Izzy Bond and Kira Bonanno each added six kills, and Addy Bond has three kills and eight digs.
Elaina Carrico ran the offense with 26 set assists for Redbank Valley.
