Bobcats Down Greensburg Central Catholic In PIAA Class-1A Volleyball State Quarterfinals, Play Bishop Canevin In Semis On Tuesday, Tickets Available,Online Only, Link To Purchase In Article

(Images by Nate Girvan) Above: Adia Needham was strong at the net.

The District 9 champion Clarion Area Bobcats downed the District 7 (WPIAL) runner-up Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-17), in the second match of a PIAA State Class-1A Volleyball Quarterfinal doubleheader, on Saturday (November 13th) at Slippery Rock High High School.

The first matchup saw the District 7 champion Bishop Canevin Crusaders come back from a 2-0 deficit, to down the District 10 champion Cochranton Cardinals, in five sets (22-25, 18-25, 25-12, 25-16, 15-8).

This sets up a Semifinal matchup between the Bobcats and Crusaders on Tuesday (November 16th) at 7:00 p.m., also at Slippery Rock High School. Clarion downed Canevin 3-0, in last year’s Semifinal on their way to the State Championship. The winner of that match will face the winner of the other semifinal between District 3 champion Sacred Heart Academy (Bryn Mawr) and District 3 runner-up Canton, in the PIAA Class-1A Championship match on Saturday (November 20th), at 10:30 a.m. at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg.

Tickets for the Tuesday’s semifinal match at Slippery Rock, are available now from the PIAA online only. Go to the 1A Brackets page and at the top right there is a link to purchase tickets (in blue). Here is a link to the brackets page.

2021 Girls Volleyball (piaa.org)

Let’s all get out and cheer on our Bobcats!!!!

Now for the match:

The first set was tight early on. Down by one, Clarion’s Korrin Burns broke service with a kill to tie the score at 12-all. Adia Needham followed with four service points to move the Bobcats to a 16-12 lead. But with a kill by the Centurions, followed by three service points, the score was tied at sixteen.

A 7-1 Bobcat run, with Noel Anthony serving two points and Burns another three, moved to a seemingly comfortable 23-17 advantage. GCC closed the score to 23-21, before falling 25-22, with Aryana Girvan providing the set winner with a tip.

The second set, in many ways, mirrored the first set and with the score 19-14, Bobcats, Clarion seemed in control. But again, the Centurions wouldn’t go away. The score was tied as late as at 21-all. The Cats again wouldn’t be denied. With a 23-22 lead, Burns broke serve with a kill, followed on another kill that ended the set, again a 25-22 win.

Set three went a bit smoother for the Bobcats. GCC served to open the set, but with a kill by Burns and three service points by Needham, the last with a block by Taylor Alston, Clarion opened with a 4-0 lead, in a set in which they never trailed. The Centurions got close, trailing by just two several times.

But the Cats led by 22-14. The Centurions closed the gap to 22-17. But three kills by Burns, one to break service, and the others on Needham serves and the Bobcats are back in the State semifinals for the third straight season.

Burns ended the match with 20 kills, 4 points and five digs. Needham delivered 13 points, 2 kills and two digs. Girvan had 7 points, 7 kills and four digs. Anthony provided her teammates with 34 assists and had 6 points and four assists.

Jordan Best compiled 12 digs and 4 points (1 ace). Payton Simko registered 6 kills, seven digs and an ace. Grace Ochs had 3 points (1 ace). Alston recorded two kills and Bri Peirce had a dig.

Coach Shari Campbell was pleased with much of what she saw on Saturday.

“I thought we played really well as a team defensively. Our blocking, I thought was really effective. We expected number 10 to be able to really come at us. She hits a heavy ball. But I really think Adia Needham did a great job of really changing how she was swinging. She was great at the net today. Then picking up the tips while she was serving.

“It was really great to see everybody step up and contribute. I thought Taylor Alston in the middle, getting back up and putting some tips in and making some plays against their block.

“I think you saw Korrin just commanding the court, settling in a little bit because of like the nerves. She had 20 kills, which is phenomenal. Payton Simko hit really well. They had a hard time dealing with her, from the right side.

“We served at ninety-one percent. So that’s really good. I thought Jordan served super well. You saw Adia with thirteen points. Again, I though Adia had a great match.”

Coach Campbell thought GCC’s playing them so tough will help the team down the road. “We need to be pushed. You get a little nervous if you’re not pushed.”

And the Clarion mindset, which is displayed in the competition (tournaments and dual matches, with quality, larger schools) which they schedule each year, and serves them well in playoff time. “There’s (always) somebody out there, who is better than you and you got to be humble and do the work. At the end of the day, you’ve got to keep the ball off the floor.”

Keep that mindset. Keep doing the work and pushing. The prize is in site.

Great Job Bobcats!!!! Beat the Crusaders!!!!

Folks, Let’s fill the Slippery Rock Gym on Tuesday.

(Thanks to Nate Girvan for his pics!)