Playoff berth shows significant growth for Penn Hills volleyball

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, October 30, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Twelve years without appearing in the postseason didn’t result in a fairy tale ending for the Penn Hills girls volleyball team. The Indians were swept by Knoch in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs by Knoch.

What is most important about Penn Hills’ success in getting back to the playoffs is the foundation it lays for the future. There is nothing better for the Indians’ program than getting a boost of confidence.

“We want to keep building on the tradition and the foundation,” Penn Hills coach Jay Mitlo said. “The challenge now is repeating and rebuilding.”

The Indians lost 25-18, 25-16, 26-24 to the Knights in the first round of the playoffs. After a long absence, Mitlo felt the team wasn’t out of place in a more high-pressure environment.

“I think we handled it well,” Mitlo said. “Could we have played better? Sure. We had a difficult opponent and we played well. I’m proud of their effort and how they handled themselves.”

Penn Hills was able to rally behind a lineup that featured six seniors and featured numerous looks as far as on-court personnel as the season progressed.

Sarah Miller led Penn Hills with 114 kills. She was one of the six seniors in the lineup along with Ava Adamski, Taylor Slaughter, Taylor Denson, Ameira Smith and Desirae Clancy-Thompson. Adamski led the team in assists.

The Indians moved players around when different lineups went stale. Mitlo said the team was able to maneuver however they were asked to.

“I think they were driven by a common goal,” Mitlo said. “They were a selfless team that featured six seniors, including four players who started at least three years.”

Penn Hills finished in a tie for fourth place in Section 1-3A with Woodland Hills.

The Indians were 5-7 in section play and split a pair of matches with the Wolverines to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

Mitlo believes this season will help the program moving forward.

Penn Hills can see that the schedule can extend beyond the regular season.

“I think any time you see a goal can be reached, it helps,” Mitlo said. “We could have played better in the playoffs, but I thought the girls handled themselves well.”

Tags: Penn Hills