PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – After going 20 years without a playoff win, Moniteau is within one win of its first-ever District 9 title with a 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 26-24) over top-seeded Punxsutawney, who was playing without two of its top players.
Also see District semifinal 10 recaps
Rewatch the match
After winning the first two sets relatively easily, fifth-seeded Moniteau lost the third set and found itself down 18-12 in the fourth set before rallying to the victory.
Lily Staab was key to the fourth-set victory with six of her eight kills in the set. She also had four aces and three digs and was named the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Match.
Staab talked about the victory on the Cole Orthodontic Associates postgame interview
Marissa Pry had another solid night for the Lady Warriors with eight kills, four blocks, and three digs, while Davina Pry added six kills, three aces, and three digs, and Syndey Bayless had three kills, three aces, and two blocks.
Zoey Hoover had a fantastic night for Punxsutawney, who played without both Danielle Griebel and Ciara Toven because of injuries, with 18 kills and two aces, while Kinsee Barnett had a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Barnett also had two aces.
Danielle Griebel ran the offense for the Lady Chucks with 29 set assists while adding six digs and one ace. But stats don’t tell the full picture of the senior who was all over the court for Punxsutawney.
Kylie Diem added four aces and two kills, and Faith Kimmerlee had seven digs.
Moniteau will take on defending champion Kane in the title match at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at Brockway High School in a match that will be broadcast on the YDL Sports Network/D9and10Sports.com.
KANE 3, CRANBERRY 0
SENECA, Pa. – Maya Smith had a double-double with 14 kills and 15 digs to lead third-seeded and defending Kane to a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 30-28) win over second-seeded Cranberry in the District 9 Class 2A semifinals in Seneca.
Mia Anderson added 13 kills and six blocks for the Lady Wolves.
Leah Tigani had 17 digs to pace Kane’s defense and also served two aces, while Ada Chamberlain added 14 digs.
Elizabeth Yasurek ran the offense for the Wolves with 34 set assists.
Ayanna Ferringer led Cranberry with a match-high 15 kills while adding 12 digs and six blocks.
Sarah Schoch added five kills for the Berries while Avery Coe had eight digs and three set assists.
Allie Rembold ran the offense for Cranberry with 18 set assists, while Lexi Reisinger chipped in three kills, Jadyn Shumaker added five digs, and Reyna Watson had three digs.
Kane will look for its second straight D9 title when it takes on fifth-seeded Moniteau in the championship match at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at Brockway High School in a match that will be broadcast on the YDL Sports Network/D9and10Sports.com.
CLARION-LIMESTONE 3, OSWAYO VALLEY 2
STRATTANVILLE, Pa. – Trailing 13-12 in the fifth set with its season hanging in the balance, top-seeded Clarion-Limestone rolled off three straight points to knock out defending District 9 champion and fifth-seeded Oswayo Valley, 3-2 (25-22, 25-27, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13), in the District 9 Class 1A semifinals at C-L.
The fifth-set comeback came after the Lady Lions had cast away a 12-10 lead in the set by giving up three straight points of their own.
Jenna Dunn led the way for C-L with 15 kills and 15 digs while Maddy Greeley also had 15 kills and Alyssa Wiant added 12 kills.
Kaylee Smith, just a sophomore, ran the offense with 39 set assists while adding five kills. She hit the 1,000-set assist mark in the match.
Kaylee Smith recorded her 1,000th career set assist for C-L Tuesday night in the semifinal victory. Submitted photo
Freshman Hannah Beggs also contributed nine kills in the win, while Ansley Burke added six kills.
Abby Knapp-Greeley helped out on defense with 11 digs.
Oliva Cook led Oswayo Valley, which saw its run of two straight PIAA playoff appearances come to an end, with 22 kills, 16 digs, and five blocks,
Makenna Manning added 16 kills, nine digs, two aces, and two blocks for the Green Wave who also got eight kills, 18 digs, three aces, and three set assists from Praylan Perkins.
Laci Miller-Geiger ran the offense for Oswayo Valley with 54 set assists while chipping in six digs, two aces, and two blocks.
C-L, looking for its first District 9 title since going back-to-back in 2004 and 2005, will face second-seeded Elk County Catholic in the title match at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at DuBois High School.
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 3, COUDERSPORT 0
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Second-seeded Elk County Catholic made it back to the District 9 Class 1A title match for the third straight season with a 3-0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-19) win over visiting and third-seeded Coudersport.
Reagan Buaer led ECC with 12 kills, eight digs, and two aces with Tori Newton adding nine kills, seven digs, and three blocks.
Also for the Lady Crusaders, Ashlynn Schutz had six kills,11 digs, and five blocks, and Lucy Klawhun added four kills, 11 digs, and an ace.
Kiri Emmert ran the offense for ECC with 27 set assists.
ECC, which is searching for its first D9 title since winning its third of three in a row in Class 2A in 1996, will face top-seeded C-L in the title match at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, at DuBois High School.
