Rare defeat helped North Allegheny girls volleyball players refocus

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, October 23, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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The winning streak had stood at 57 section victories when the North Allegheny girls volleyball team saw its unbeaten run stunningly end this season.

Yet, that 3-0 loss to Shaler in late September might be exactly what the defending WPIAL and PIAA champion Tigers really needed, said their first-year coach, who saw a newfound focus in their practices ever since.

“We’re happy with the success we’ve had (in the past), but this group, having so many new pieces, needs to learn what it takes to work to earn that,” NA coach Russ Hoburg said. “It’s not like they just roll in the gym wearing black and gold and they win because they’re NA. It takes a whole lot of work and dedication and practice.

“I think that loss in some ways helped to show us we are vulnerable and that we can’t take reps for granted in practice. We’re going to use that going forward in the playoffs.”

North Allegheny has won three of the past four WPIAL Class 4A titles and is a four-time defending PIAA champion, so expectations remain high.

They have five starters back from last year’s championship lineup including middle hitters Jadyn Perkins and Rachel Burton, both seniors. But many around them are either new starters or are playing new roles, including star junior Mia Tuman, an Ohio State commit. Tuman transitioned midseason from hitter to setter.

“It’s a different team,” Hoburg said. “I know we’re defending quite a few state championships in a row, and a lot of the girls we have had a major role in those state championships. But it’s a new group and we definitely have some new people in new positions, so we’re trying to figure out what works best for us.”

Also gone is former coach Heidi Miller, who resigned a year ago after 22 seasons with the program and 10 as head coach. Yet, much of her staff remained in place, including Hoburg, a North Allegheny graduate and the team’s junior varsity coach for a decade.

His staff faced its first test after that regular-season loss to Shaler on Sept. 23, when the Tigers fell 25-21, 25-15 and 27-25. That was North Allegheny’s first section loss since Sept. 20, 2016. Overall, it was the team’s first loss since the 2019 WPIAL finals.

“We’re not a staff that’s going to make people run as a punishment,” said Hoburg, remembering the next day’s practice. “But I think the girls recognized a little bit of a changed demeanor, to say we clearly have some issues that need to be corrected. The good news is, as you saw last (week), we get Shaler twice in a season.”

North Allegheny won 3-2 in the section rematch Oct. 19. The Tigers won the five-set match 21-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-22 and 15-7.

Junior libero Caroline Curran had a team-high 30 digs, and junior Rebecca Pilotta added 17. Tuman fueled the offense with 45 assists and two aces.

“We had other games to take care of first, but I think that rematch is one they had circled on the calendar,” Hoburg said. “And I’m not sure that’s the last time we’ll see Shaler this year. It’s likely we’re going to have to go through them again if we want to get where we want to go.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny