2022 WPIAL girls volleyball championship preview: Top seeds ready to chase titles

By: Bill Hartlep
Friday, November 4, 2022 | 12:00 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

The WPIAL girls volleyball committee did an impressive job seeding the tournament this fall as nearly all four championship matchups will feature the top two seeds.

Only No. 10-seeded South Fayette in Class 3A has upset its way to the finals.

Here is a look at the four WPIAL girls volleyball championships coming up on Saturday. Each match will be streamed live on Trib HSSN.

WPIAL Class A championship

No. 1 Serra Catholic (18-1) vs. No. 2 Frazier (21-0)

11 a.m. Saturday at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center

Video livestream: TribHSSN.TribLive.com

Playoff path: No. 1 Serra Catholic defeated No. 16 Burgettstown, 3-0, No. 9 Carmichaels, 3-0, and No. 5 Bishop Canevin, 3-1. No. 2 Frazier beat No. 15 Trinity Christian, 3-0, No. 10 Western Beaver, 3-0, and No. 6 Mapletown, 3-2.

WPIAL titles: Serra Catholic 0; Frazier 1 (2010)

Coaches: Keith Trahan, Serra Catholic; Mandy Hartman, Frazier

Players to watch: Sarah Glaneman, sr., MH, Serra Catholic; Jensyn Hartman, sr., OH, Frazier

Notable: Both teams competed in Class 2A and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals last season before dropping down to Class A via PIAA realignment. Serra’s lone loss came against Class 3A Kiski Area. The Section 4 champions are led by four all-section players — senior middle hitter Sarah Glaneman, junior outside hitter Olivia Hussein, junior setter Emerson Trahan and sophomore libero Cassidy Trahan. … Senior outside hitter Jensyn Hartman had 28 kills to lead No. 2 Frazier past No. 6 Mapletown in a five-set Class A semifinal, 25-16, 17-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-7. Sophomore setter Gracen Hartman and freshman libero Molly Yauch have also been key players for the Commodores. Frazier rolled to a 14-0 mark to win Section 2. This is the Commodores’ third title game appearance.

WPIAL Class 2A championship

No. 1 Freeport (19-2) vs. No. 2 Shenango (16-1)

1 p.m. Saturday at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center

Video livestream: TribHSSN.TribLive.com

Playoff path: No. 1 Freeport defeated No. 17 OLSH, 3-0, No. 9 Neshannock, 3-0, and No. 5 Quaker Valley, 3-0. No. 2 Shenango beat No. 15 Southmoreland, 3-0, No. 7 South Park, 3-0, and No. 3 Avonworth, 3-2.

WPIAL titles: Freeport 6 (2010, ‘13, ‘15, ‘16, ‘19, ‘21); Shenango 0

Coaches: Tom Phillips, Freeport; Greg Dugan, Shenango

Players to watch: Cassidy Dell, sr., RSH, Freeport; Emilee Fedrizzi, sr., OH, Shenango

Notable: Freeport won the WPIAL Class 3A title last fall before dropping down to Class 2A via PIAA realignment. The Yellowjackets rolled to the Section 5 title at 14-0. Their only two nonsection losses came against Class 4A North Allegheny and Seneca Valley. The Yellowjackets have a variety of standouts spread among different classes, including seniors Cassidy Dell, Ava Soilis, Natalie Volek and Hadley Hellgren; juniors Josie Russo, Sydney Selker and Grace Beach; and sophomores Alaina Whitlinger and Leah Schreckengost. … Shenango won the Section 1 title at 13-1, falling to only Neshannock. Shenango is making just its second finals appearance (2015). The Wildcats are led by seniors Ashley DeCarbo, Emilee Fedrizzi and Kylee Rubin.

WPIAL Class 3A championship

No. 1 North Catholic (18-1) vs. No. 10 South Fayette (13-5)

3 p.m. Saturday at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center

Video livestream: TribHSSN.TribLive.com

Playoff path: No. 1 North Catholic defeated No. 17 Laurel Highlands, 3-0, No. 8 Moon, 3-0, and No. 4 Thomas Jefferson, 3-0. No. 10 South Fayette beat No. 7 Armstrong, 3-2, No. 2 Hampton, 3-1, and No. 3 Latrobe, 3-1.

WPIAL titles: North Catholic 3 (2018, ‘20, ‘21); South Fayette 0

Coaches: Amanda Fetter, North Catholic; Scott Sundgren, South Fayette

Players to watch: Ally Feczko, sr., OH, North Catholic; Ava Leroux, sr., MH, South Fayette

Notable: The Trojans are looking for their fourth title in five seasons. North Catholic won the title in Class 2A last season and bumped up to Class 3A this season via PIAA realignment. The Section 4 champs are led by a quartet of first-team all-section seniors — outside hitter Ally Feczko, middle hitters Stephanie Lynch and Katie McNelly and setter Sydnei Jones. The Trojans’ only loss came to Class 4A No. 1 seed North Allegheny. … South Fayette is in the finals for the first time in 15 years. The Lions finished in a three-way tie for second place in Section 2-3A. Senior middle hitter Ava Leroux and senior outside hitter Bella Bowers are all-section first-teamers. Leroux, a 6-foot-3 forward, is an Elon basketball recruit.

WPIAL Class 4A championship

No. 1 North Allegheny (18-0) vs. No. 2 Pine-Richland (15-2)

5 p.m. Saturday at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center

Video livestream: TribHSSN.TribLive.com

Playoff path: No. 1 North Allegheny defeated No. 8 Bethel Park, 3-0, and No. 4 Penn-Trafford, 3-0. No. 2 Pine-Richland beat No. 7 Shaler, 3-0, and No. 3 Seneca Valley, 3-0.

WPIAL titles: North Allegheny 8 (1993, ‘96, 2008, ‘13, ‘17, ‘18, ‘20, ‘21); Pine-Richland 3 (2001, ‘05, 10)

Coaches: Russ Hoburg, North Allegheny; Angela Seman, Pine-Richland

Players to watch: Mia Tuman, sr., S, North Allegheny; Kaili Doctor, sr., OH, Pine-Richland

Notable: North Allegheny swept Pine-Richland in a pair of section matches this season. The Tigers haven’t lost a game during the regular season or playoffs. They are making a sixth straight trip to the finals and are looking for a three-peat of titles. In the semifinals, setter Mia Tuman, an Ohio State commit, had 37 assists, six kills and five blocks. Ella Deeter had 10 kills, and Marin Dunaway had six kills. … Pine-Richland’s lone losses this season came against the Tigers. The Rams are led by senior outside hitter Kaili Doctor and Katie Yanni, as well as senior middle hitters Sophia Menke and Bri Gathers. In addition to junior setter Sofia Morse, freshmen RSH Isabelle Hoppe and libero Megan DeKunder have made an immediate impact. Doctor had 16 kills and Yanni had 13 kills in the semifinal win.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Frazier, Freeport, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Pine-Richland, Serra Catholic, Shenango, South Fayette