2025 WPIAL girls volleyball championship preview: Familiar faces, newcomers seeking titles

By: Bill Hartlep
Friday, October 31, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Four champions will be crowned Saturday at the 2025 WPIAL girls volleyball championships at Peters Township’s AHN Arena.

Below is a look at the teams competing.

Class 4A

5-Pine-Richland (13-5) vs. 2-Peters Township (13-3)

5 p.m. Saturday, AHN Arena, Peters Township

Coaches: Angela Seman, Pine-Richland; Chris Kelly, Peters Township

Playoff path: Pine-Richland defeated No. 12 Latrobe, 3-0, in the first round; No. 4 Seneca Valley, 3-0, in the quarterfinals; and No. 1 North Allegheny, 3-0, in the semifinals. Peters Township had a first-round bye and beat No. 10 Canon-McMillan, 3-1, in the quarterfinals; and No. 6 North Catholic, 3-0, in the semifinals.

WPIAL titles: Pine-Richland 4 (2022, 2010, 2005, 2001); Peters Township 0

Up next: The winner will play the District 3 fourth-place finisher in the PIAA first round Tuesday. The losing team will play the champion from District 6, District 10 or the City League.

Net points: These teams met in a nonsection match Sept. 29 with Pine-Richland earning a 3-1 win. … Piper Vogel had 13 kills, Ela Hernandez had nine and Isabelle Hoppe eight as Pine-Richland defeated two-time defending champion North Allegheny, 27-25, 25-17, 25-20, in the semifinals. The Rams avenged two regular-season losses against the Tigers. They finished tied for second in Section 2 at 6-4. Hoppe and senior libero Megan DeKunder were first-team all-section picks, with senior middle hitter Valerie Menke and Vogel on the second team and junior setter and senior defensive specialist Ella Learish on the third team. … Peters Township knocked off 2024 runner-up North Catholic, 25-21, 25-23 and 25-20, in the semifinals behind 16 kills from Alex Knox. Raia Lamping and Maddie Carroll also were key hitters. The Indians are in the WPIAL finals for the first time. They tied Upper St. Clair for the Section 1 title at 9-1. Knox and Carroll, both sophomores, as well as senior libero Kali Holmes were picked first-team all-section. Lamping and junior middle hitter Angelina Williams were second-team selections, and third-team honors went to junior Eva Drake, and sophomore Elle Gorman.

Class 3A

1-Oakland Catholic (19-1) vs. 2-Beaver (18-1)

3 p.m. Saturday, AHN Arena, Peters Township

Coaches: Jenna Potts, Oakland Catholic; Susan Pollins, Beaver

Playoff path: Oakland Catholic defeated No. 16 Derry, 3-0, in the first round; No. 9 South Fayette, 3-0, in the quarterfinals; and No. 5 Hampton, 3-0, in the semifinals. Beaver beat No. 15 Ringgold, 3-1, in the first round; No. 7 Chartiers Valley, 3-0, in the quarterfinals; and No. 3 Mars, 3-1, in the semifinals.

WPIAL titles: Oakland Catholic 0; Beaver 2 (2023, 2017)

Up next: The winner will play the District 8 or 9 champion in the PIAA first round Tuesday. The losing team will play the champion from District 5 or 6.

Net points: Oakland Catholic blanked Beaver, 3-0, in a nonsection match in September. The Section 1 champion Eagles’ lone loss came against two-time defending champion South Fayette. Oakland Catholic is searching for its first WPIAL title. It swept No. 5 Hampton, 25-15, 25-23, 25-16, in the semifinals. Three Eagles seniors were first-team all-section selections — right-side hitter Michayla Booth, outside hitter Josie Fontana and libero Elena Krummert. Junior setter Raegan Mascaro and freshman Eve Wrabley were second-team selections, and senior middle hitters Rory O’Connell and Zephaniah Troxler Scott were third-team picks. … Beaver is back in the title match for a third straight season. The Bobcats beat Freeport, 3-2, in 2023 and lost to Mars, 3-1, last season. Beaver won Section 4 at 10-0. The Bobcats have won 11 straight matches. Beaver was well-represented by a deep senior class on the Section 4 all-section first team — outside hitter Jaedyn Brown, libero Aubrey Bumblis, hitter Kailyn Connelly and middle hitter Lanie Malobabich. Sophomore setter Kayden Blinn also was selected to the first team. Right-side hitter Kaylee Kisling and defensive specialist Malaya Oster, both juniors, were second-team picks. In the semifinals, Connelly had 21 kills and three blocks and Blinn had 48 assists, three kills and 14 digs. Malobabich added 10 kills and four blocks and Brown had 12 kills.

Class 2A

1-Hopewell (17-1) vs. 11-Avonworth (14-6)

1 p.m. Saturday, AHN Arena, Peters Township

Coaches: Terry Borkovic, Hopewell; John Skarupa, Avonworth

Playoff path: Hopewell defeated No. 16 McGuffey, 3-0, in the first round; No. 9 Burrell, 3-0, in the quarterfinals; and No. 4 OLSH, 3-0, in the semifinals. Avonworth beat No. 6 Riverside, 3-2, in the first round; No. 3 Seton LaSalle, 3-2, in the quarterfinals; and No. 2 Waynesburg Central, 3-2, in the semifinals.

WPIAL titles: Hopewell 6 (2011, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002); Avonworth 0

Up next: The winner will play the District 10 runner-up in the PIAA first round Tuesday. The losing team will play the champion from District 6.

Net points: These Section 1-2A rivals split their season series. It was the only loss this season for Hopewell, which rolled through the playoffs with three straight sweeps. In the semifinals, Hopewell blanked No. 4 OLSH, 25-13, 25-22, 25-23. Hopewell was one of the WPIAL’s most dominant teams in the early 2000s, winning four straight titles and five in a six-year span. Last season as a third seed, Hopewell fell to Quaker Valley, 3-0, in the WPIAL championship. Hopewell had four players picked to the all-section first team — senior outside hitter Brianna Indereist, senior setter Bella Ceccarelli, senior middle hitter Lahna Murray and junior middle hitter Mikayla Kurta. Senior libero Addison Davis and sophomore outside hitter Hannah McDowell were second-team selections, and junior defensive specialist Marina Pinchotti was named to the third team. … Avonworth has upset its way to the finals after knocking off the No. 6, 3 and 2 seeds. The Lopes beat previously unbeaten Waynesburg, 3-2, in the semifinals, 16-25, 25-17, 25-12, 20-25, 16-14. Avonworth is chasing its first district title. The Lopes went 11-3 in Section 1 and finished third. A pair of junior hitters — Julia Cernich and Clementine Dutot-Lucs — were first-team all-section honorees. Setters Ali Colasante and Jada Taylor were second-team picks. Junior libero Juliana Geist and senior middle hitter Camila Intriago were third-team selections.

Class A

4-Eden Christian (14-4) vs. 6-Serra Catholic (14-5)

11 a.m. Saturday, AHN Arena, Peters Township

Coaches: Jillian Zentko, Eden Christian; Keith Trahan, Serra Catholic

Playoff path: Eden Christian defeated No. 13 Springdale, 3-0, in the first round; No. 5 St. Joseph, 3-1, in the quarterfinals; and No. 1 Frazier, 3-1, in the semifinals. Serra Catholic beat No. 11 Apollo-Ridge, 3-0, in the first round; No. 3 Fort Cherry, 3-2, in the quarterfinals; and No. 7 California, 3-2, in the semifinals.

WPIAL titles: Eden Christian 0; Serra Catholic 1 (2023)

Up next: The winner will play the District 9 runner-up in the PIAA first round Tuesday. The losing team will play the champion from District 10.

Net points: These Section 5-A rivals split their season series. Eden Christian beat Serra Catholic, 3-1, on Sept. 16. Serra won 3-2 on Oct. 7. … Eden Christian will make its first trip to the WPIAL finals following a 3-1 upset of No. 1 Frazier on Wednesday, 25-14, 25-17, 21-25, 25-23. Eden Christian was the No. 2 seed last season but lost in the semifinals. The Warriors rebounded to reach the PIAA tournament. Eden Christian finished second in Section 5 at 6-2. The Warriors are led by four first-team all-section players in senior outside hitter Ava Arnold, senior setter Ainsley Chevalier, sophomore setter/right-side hitter Erin Hull and sophomore outside hitter/defensive specialist Emily Muir. Sophomores Addi Mathieu and Bella Yurkovac were second-team picks, and freshman Peach Oliver was named to the third team. … Serra Catholic is looking for its second WPIAL title after claiming the 2023 crown. The Eagles are in the finals for the third time in four seasons. Serra Catholic secured a 3-2 win over No. 7 California in the semifinals, 25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 15-8. The Eagles have made a strong run in the playoffs after finishing third in Section 5 at 5-3. They upset section champion Fort Cherry, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. Senior setter/defensive specialist Bethany Pasternak and sophomore middle hitter Ryleigh Carper were first-team all-section selections. Senior outside hitter Niki Sfanos and sophomore setter/middle hitter Sara Ridilla were second-team picks, and outside hitter Kalissa Jacomen and right-side hitter Madonna Koval, both juniors, were on the third team.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Beaver, Eden Christian, Hopewell, Oakland Catholic, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Serra Catholic