Norwin girls volleyball working to make strides

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, September 7, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Norwin girls volleyball finished 3-11 overall and 1-7 in Section 3-4A, which put the Knights in last place.

That means there is room for improvement for veteran coach Mary Ellen Ferragonio and her players.

Seven returning starters give the team a reason for optimism.

Ferragonio said it is too early to tell what the team’s strengths will be, but she appreciates the team’s liveliness.

“The girls are full of enthusiasm and personality with a strong work ethic,” the coach said, “and they are a lot of fun to be with in the gym with. We have many multisport athletes.”

The key returnees include senior outside hitters Natalie Aquilio, Addison Matovich and Abigail Baronti, senior middle hitters Averi Brozeski and Brandi Brozeski, senior setter Isabella Deering and senior libero Alaina Fonzi.

Ferragonio said other players looking to contribute include Paige Chitester, Anna Fraser, Gemma Moffatt and Elizabeth Yarosik.

The Knights played a high-profile early season match when they faced Kiski Area in the fourth annual Pack the Park game in Vandergrift’s Kennedy Park on Sept. 3. The Cavaliers won, 3-2.

Pack the Park helps raise funds each year for the We Serve First Foundation, started with the help of Tim Toy to honor the memory and legacy of his late wife, Ellen Toy, who coached volleyball for many years at Kiski Area and other schools.

Kiski led 16-13 in Game 1 before Norwin rallied to take a 22-20 advantage. But the Cavaliers prevailed 25-23 when a hit from senior Jael Ledbetter at game point wasn’t successfully handled by the Knights’ defense.

Norwin rebounded and took Game 2, 25-13. The Knights jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back.

The Cavaliers won Game 3, 25-19, as a hit from Norwin at the net landed out of bounds wide.

But as it did in Game 2, Norwin responded to the Kiski Area victory and took Game 4, 25-17. The Cavaliers led the game, 9-7, but the Knights used an 8-1 run to move ahead 15-10.

Matovich delivered an emphatic kill to close out the win and force Game 5.

“We want to be here because it is for a good cause and for a coach in Ellen we knew so well in her honor and in her memory,” said Ferragonio, a longtime friend and coaching colleague of Toy. “(Vandergrift) is such a great town, and there is such community support. It takes a lot of grit to play on a (grass) surface like this. Both teams did really well.”

Michael Love contributed.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin