Volleyball
Bishop Canevin Wins First Ever State Volleyball Title
November 21, 2015
The Bishop Canevin Crusaders added a new trophy to their already crowded trophy case with an impressive win in the PIAA Girls A Volleyball Championship handling previously unbeaten District 5 Champion North Star in straight sets 25-21, 25-16, 25-17 Saturday at Richland high school in Johnstown.2015 WPIAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS RESULTS
November 8, 2015
It was a postseason without a lot of surprises as the higher seeds dominated, going 40-5 through all four rounds of the playoffs. So it wasn't surprising that a pair of top-seeds came away with district gold as #1 Baldwin repeated as Class AAA champs and #1 Freeport captured the Class AA title for the second time in three years. The Class A winner was Bishop Canevin as the Crusaders came from behind in both the Semifinals and Finals to beat out top-seed Greensburg Central Catholic and #3-seed Shenango to win their second crown in three years. Here are ALL of the results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs.
Baldwin Beats NA Again For WPIAL AAA Girls Volleyball Title
Before a standing room only crowd at Baldwin High School, the home-standing Highlanders won their second consecutive WPIAL Class AAA championship with a 3-2 victory over the North Allegheny Tigers Saturday evening. It was a rematch of last year’s five-set thriller and again the Highlanders were able to outlast the Tigers in five electric sets. Baldwin claimed the title by set scores of 21-25, 25-18, 14-25, 25-22 and 15-12. After splitting the first two sets, North Allegheny seemed to seize control with a thorough 25-14 win in the third set. Michigan State recruit Lauren Swartz picked up three kills in the set, on her way to a 14-kill performance.Freeport Stings West Shamokin to Win Girls Volleyball AA Crown
Freeport lived up to its billing as the top seed in the WPIAL AA playoffs, and bested previously unbeaten West Shamokin in the battle for Armstrong County. An outstanding effort from senior Zoey Pawlak propelled the Yellowjackets to a convincing 3-1 victory by scores of 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16. Pawlak, a Loyola Maryland recruit, finished the match with 31 kills and seven service aces, and coach Tom Phillips led the Yellowjackets to their third WPIAL title in six years.Bishop Canevin Wins Second WPIAL A Volleyball Title in Three Years
The Cardiac Crusaders came from behind yet again and won a five set match to win the 2015 WPIAL Class A Championship, defeating Shenango 23-25, 25-23, 25-13, 23-25,15-9. Bishop Canevin jumped to an early 13-5 lead in the first set, but the Wildcats responded with nine unanswered points to take a 14-13 lead. Elizabeth Quahliero had three of her team-high five service aces in the run. A back-and-forth battle finished with Shenango scoring three if the last four points in the set to draw first blood in the match.WPIAL Girls Volleyball Semifinals Recaps 2015
November 5, 2015
The unkindest cut of all is a loss in the Semifinals of any tournament. You're so close to reaching your ultimate goal of playing for a title that was made long before the season even began. All of the workouts and practices and you just fall short. No gold, no silver, no championship match feel. However the season is not over. For the winners, it's on to the district finals, but even for the losers, its a spot in the consolation match or a berth in the state playoffs. Here are recaps from all of the thrills on Semifinals Thursday in WPIAL Girls Volleyball. A special thanks to Cory Campano, James Dotson, Lee Mohn, Randy Gore, Sam Hall and Greg Kuntz for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Semifinals:WPIAL Girls Volleyball Quarterfinals Recaps 2015
November 4, 2015
Upsets in this years district girls volleyball postseason have been as frequent as tumbleweeds blowing down the streets of Pittsburgh. Ten of the twelve winners in Round Two were higher seeds as Montour and South Fayette in Class AA are the lone exceptions to Top Four Seeds heading into the Final Four on Thursday. Here are recaps from Quarterfinals Tuesday in the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs. A special thanks to Cory Campano, Greg Kuntz, Sean Meyers, Bob Orkwis, Rob Longo, Brandon Showers, Sam Hall, James Dotson and Dave Floyd for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Quarterfinals:
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Mackenzie Biggs
November 2, 2015
The Hopewell girls’ volleyball team was a powerhouse squad in recent years, as the Vikings captured the Class AA WPIAL Championship in 2011, and finished as runners-up the following season. One of the key components of that program’s success was Mackenzie Biggs, who is this week’s spotlighted athlete. Although also a talented basketball player at Hopewell, Biggs elected to continue her volleyball career at the next level, choosing to attend Clarion University. While seeing limited action as a freshman, Biggs carved out a larger room in 2014 as a sophomore with the Golden Eagles.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/01/2015
November 1, 2015
We are done with the WPIAL football regular season and ready to ride on the Highway to Heinz starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 32 First Round WPIAL Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show. We also have six District 6 and District 9 high school football games along with the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships of the WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs and the Semifinals and Championships of the WPIAL Boys and Girls Soccer Playoffs. We also have the debut of men's college basketball, plus The WPIAL Football Playoff Pairings Show. This Week in the WPIAL and the season finale of the Indiana County Coaches Show ALL here at MSAsports.netThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 10/25/2015
October 25, 2015
We conclude the Stretch Run of the 2015 high school football season while starting exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Soccer and Girls Volleyball Playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We wrap up the regular season with Week Nine of the high school football season with 29 WPIAL weekend contests starting Friday night with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoff Teams – 10/23/2015
October 23, 2015
Each week during the regular season, MSA Sports ranks the Top Ten WPIAL girls volleyball teams. However the regular season is now over and instead of ten, we now rank all 16 AAA. 18 AA and 19 A playoff bound teams. You can also listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University starting next week ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. Final section record in parenthesis. WPIAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CLASS AAA: 1) BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS (12-0) 2) NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (12-0) 3) UPPER ST. CLAIR PANTHERS (12-0)FINAL 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Standings
October 22, 2015
Here are the FINAL WPIAL girls volleyball standings for the 2015 season...including the FINAL WPIAL playoff clinchings and eliminations. Standings will be updated daily through the regular season, leading up to MSA Sports EXCLUSIVE coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs in October. Also, don't forget to click on the Girls Volleyball sports page for information on the 2015 MSA Sports Hometown Girls Volleyball Program and tune in for the Hometown Girls Volleyball Show on Monday nights at 7:00pm here on MSA Sports. Only section record is shown. MSA Sports Hometown Girls Volleyball Program teams are capitalized.Hometown Girls Volleyball Recap – Avonworth Antelopes – 10/20/2015
October 20, 2015
Avonworth (9-1, A-4) was heavily tested in a non-section matchup by Quaker Valley (7-3, AA-2), but came away with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 31-29) victory on Monday night at Avonworth High School. The Antelopes and Quakers, who have both already clinched a spot in next week's WPIAL Playoffs, exchanged leads a number of times throughout the match, culminating in a ferocious third and final set.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 10/18/2015
October 18, 2015
We continue the Stretch Run of the 2015 high school football season while starting exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Soccer Playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We move on to Week Eight of the high school football season with 27 WPIAL weekend contests starting Friday night with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Volleyball – 10/16/2015
October 16, 2015
Here are the MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL girls volleyball rankings for the week of October 12th. You can check out the new rankings every Thursday through the regular season with weekly matches heard live and archived, including Hometown Soccer broadcasts each week. You can also listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University in October ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. Section record in parenthesis. WPIAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CLASS AAA: 1) BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS (10-0) (Last Week #1) 2) NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (11-0) (Last Week #2)Hometown Girls Volleyball Recap – Brentwood Spartans – 10/15/2015
October 15, 2015
Both Brentwood and Carlynton were on the outside looking in as far as playoff spots from Class A Section 2 were concerned coming into their match Wednesday night. But that didn't stop both teams from putting on a thriller at Brentwood High School as the host Spartans prevailed 3-2 over the Cougars. The Spartans got off to a fast start in Game 1 with a 5-0 run thanks to the service game of junior Molly Huffman. Brentwood continued to dominate the first game, leading by as many as 11 points. Even near the end of that first game, however, the momentum started to shift toward Carlynton. Despite being outscored, 9-3, the Spartans still won Game 1, 25-20.Hometown Girls Volleyball Recap – Central Valley Warriors – 10/14/2015
October 14, 2015
The Central Valley Lady Warriors are playoff bound! Coach Josh Springer's squad clinched a playoff berth with a Section 2-AA victory over Ambridge in straight sets 25-17, 25-16, 25-21. Central Valley jumped to early leads in each of the first two sets, never trailing in either of the opening sets. The Lady Warriors capitalized on early miscues from the Lady Bridgers. Balen Brown was the main beneficiary, tallying five of her match-high 11 kills in the first set.Hometown Girls Volleyball Recap – Bishop Canevin Crusaders – 10/23/2015
October 13, 2015
What began as a seemingly meaningless non-class matchup between two of the top programs in class AA and A in girls volleyball turned into a fight to the finish between #3 Montour and #7 Bishop Canevin. Bishop Canevin returned to its winning ways 3-2 with a decisive final set victory 15-6 after Montour had won the third and fourth sets. Bishop Canevin carried a perfect record through the month of September, but as the calendar turned, the Crusaders dropped two of their first three section matches to Serra Catholic and Vincentian Academy. BC appeared ready, focused, and into the game as if it were a section contest and was able to jump out and take the first set relatively handily 25-16.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Volleyball – 10/08/2015
October 8, 2015
Here are the MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL girls volleyball rankings for the week of October 5th...including a NEW #1 team in Class A. You can check out the new rankings every Thursday through the regular season with weekly matches heard live and archived, including Hometown Soccer broadcasts each week. You can also listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University in October ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. Section record in parenthesis. WPIAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CLASS AAA: 1) BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS (7-0) (Last Week #1)PIAA Approves 6 Classes for Football, Hoops, Baseball & Softball
Are you ready for six classifications in Pennsylvania high school football? And boys basketball? And girls basketball? And baseball? And softball? Six classifications in all of those sports will be a reality in the 2016-17 school year. That was the gigantic news that came out of a PIAA board of directors meeting Wednes day in Mechanicsburg. Heading into the meeting, the main topic on the agenda was supposed to be a final vote on the expansion of classifications in football from four to six. The PIAA had already passed that in two other votes, and needed only to pass one more vote before going into effect for the 2016-17 season. That proposal easily passed by a 26-4 vote. But there was more big news to come.
