Norwin volleyball team enters playoffs forged by tight matches

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 19, 2018 | 7:33 PM

For the Norwin volleyball team, it might be a case of better late than never.

The Knights have been playing some of their best volleyball over the final weeks of the regular season. On Oct. 16, Norwin topped Section 3-4A champion Latrobe, 3-1.

“This team is working together pretty well,” Norwin coach Mary Ellen Ferragonio said. “We are starting to eliminate unforced errors. We had a lot of errors early in the season.

“We also started to play a little smarter. As the season went on, we started to work really well together and support each other.”

Norwin started the month of October with a 5-2 run. But it hasn’t been easy. Norwin had to battle through a four-game stretch where each match went to the 3-2 limit. The team walked away with wins in three of the matches.

“Early on, I don’t think we were mentally tough,” Ferragonio said. “I think when things would get tough, they would panic. I think they are starting to relax and play a little more point by points instead of looking at the big picture.”

The team is powered by a large senior class. No matter the position, the team has a veteran in the spot. Rachel Langsdorf and Rebecca Miller are at outside hitter, and Madison Auld and Jameson Stoner man the right-side hitter spot. The team has a pair of senior setters in Hannah Horvath and Victoria Saunders. Rachel Zabelsky brings experience to the middle hitter spot, and Rachel Milke and Madison Yaniga are defensive specialists.

“They have all been in tough situations before,” Ferragonio said. “They knew the goal coming in was to make it to playoffs and try to go further. They know how tough playoffs are going to be. There isn’t an easy minute.”

The only regular starter who isn’t a senior is junior middle hitter Victoria Nicholes.

“She has done a great job filling that role as a junior,” Ferragonio said. “She was on the junior varsity team last season. Outside of that, only a few other players have played sporadically.”

With the regular season ending, the Knights will set their focus on the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs.

Making it to the postseason was one of the team’s top goals this season. But it isn’t much of a surprise the Knights have made it to this point. Norwin has become one of the consistently strong programs in the WPIAL — it has not missed the postseason since 2011.

“I have been lucky enough to have groups of players who have worked hard,” Ferragonio said. “I am lucky to have young kids who enjoy the sport and come to open gyms. Each year, the older girls have not only been good players but also good role models. We’re lucky enough to be in an area that the kids have an interest in play volleyball because they like it.”

Nathan Smith is a freelance writer.

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