North Catholic volleyball gets past Avonworth in WPIAL championship battle

By: George Guido
Saturday, November 6, 2021 | 9:12 PM

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After dropping the WPIAL soccer title to Avonworth earlier Saturday, North Catholic won the second WPIAL championship matchup of the day between the two schools.

The Trojans won their third WPIAL volleyball title in the last four seasons with a 3-1 victory over the Antelopes in the Class 2A finals at the Robert Morris UPMC Events Center.

Avonworth won an exciting opening set, 26-24, on a kill by Maggie Goetz, but North Catholic took the final three sets. North Catholic gradually pulled away in the second, winning 25-15 and followed that with 25-16 decision before wrapping up the day by edging the Antelopes, 25-23.

“It was tough, but it was fun to be a part of,” North Catholic coach Amanda Fetter said. “I think we started out with a change of venue at such an awesome place, and I know Avonworth always comes out with their kids ready to play.”

North Catholic (16-0) moves on to the PIAA tournament Tuesday against the loser of Saturday’s match between Harbor Creek and Corry at a site and time to be determined.

Avonworth is 14-3 overall — with all three losses coming to North Catholic.

“They’re a good team and they went on that run,” Avonworth coach John Skarupa said. “We came out in that fourth set with a lot of energy and we battled them tough. We had a game plan for the first match, then one for the second match, after that you’ve got to see what works.”

Avoworth will play District 6 champion Philipsburg-Osceola on Tuesday in the PIAA opener at a site and time to be determined.

The biggest Trojans lead in the second set was the 10-point final differential. In the third set, North Catholic took a 16-7 lead. Skarupa called a timeout but couldn’t stem the tide.

Avonworth took a 20-18 lead in the fourth set, but a kill by Katie McNelly, one of 16 on the day, was soon followed by an errant Avonworth blast out of bounds and the Trojans secured the victory, Fetter’s third in her four years as a head coach.

“After that first set, I felt fine. I could actually feel that they were, too,” Fetter said. “All I was saw was they weren’t concerned about it and were ready for the next set.”

It was Avonworth’s first trip to the WPIAL finals since 2011 when the Antelopes lost to Elderton.

“I think the turning point was that great rally we had in the fourth set when we got the 20th point, but they came on,” Skarupa said. “Let’s go to the PIAAs now and see if we can play them again.”

North Catholic also won a PIAA title in 2018.

Tags: Avonworth, North Catholic