Emotions certainly ran high Tuesday night for Our Lady of Sacred Heart’s girls volleyball team, but the Chargers managed to pull out a 27-25, 25-27, 25-16, 25-20 victory over visiting Quaker Valley in a WPIAL Class 2A Section 1 match.
In addition to being Senior Night, Tuesday marked the first sporting event to be held in more than a year in OLSH’s renovated Angela Activities Center.
OLSH coach Mike McDonald said it was “obviously awesome” for the team to be back on its home court after the long hiatus.
“But emotionally there was a whole lot going on for our girls, and I think Quaker Valley took advantage of it,” he said. “They played very well and made it really hard for us.
“There were a lot of emotions – being back in that place, and having everyone there. I think it sapped everyone’s energy.”
The Chargers, now 13-2 overall and 12-1 in the section, will need more of that energy as they host Hopewell Wednesday night in a match that will determine the section champion.
OLSH’s return to the Angela Activities Center was a long time in coming. School officials planned to replace the main gym floor and install new and expanded bleachers at the gym during the summer of 2024, thanks to a generous alumni donation. They hoped the building would be ready for last winter’s boys and girls basketball seasons.
But after the old gym floor was removed, major problems with the concrete foundation were discovered, and that led to a lengthy research and design process that took a whole lot longer – and cost a lot more — than school officials were planning on.
All of the school’s indoor sports teams have had to play their games and matches elsewhere since the fall of 2024, using nearby gyms at Cornell and Moon Area for “home” contests in addition to their regular road games.
OLSH President Terry Donoghue was thrilled that the Chargers were finally able to come home Tuesday night.
“We are absolutely blessed by the fact that our girls volleyball team was able to hold its Senior Night contest in our beautiful new main gym,” she said afterward.
“The solution to our main gym repair was much more complicated than we had anticipated, and the end result is all the more satisfying.”
The Chargers had contributions from numerous players, including Leah Parker (15 kills, 11 digs, three aces), Lola Garner (six kills, four aces, 11 digs) and Jordyn Velmire (one kill, six assists and a key block in the third set).
Also contributing were Julia Davoli (two service aces, including one to win the third set, and three digs), Jenna Nastal (one kill to get the Chargers to match point), Carmella Rippole (25 assists, eight digs, one block), Malley Woynar (three kills, one block), Frankie Schlatterer (three kills), Sophia Wasko (seven digs), Bella Coladonato (eight kills, four aces, 10 digs) and Addy Batts (five kills).
OLSH’s junior varsity team won in straight sets.
Photos by Mike Longo Jr.
Montour 3, Chartiers Valley 2
The Spartans prevailed over the Colts in five sets in their next-to-last Class 3A Section 1 match of the season, winning by set scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-13.
Delaney Barto had 18 digs, three kills and four aces for Montour while Zoe Woessner had 21 assists, three kills and three aces.
Also contributing to the win for the Spartans were Cathrine Schmidt (13 assists, two aces, three digs, one kill), Annet Christian (14 kills, three blocks, three aces, one dig), Alina Vlasach (six kills), Sloane Cotton (10 kills, two aces, four digs), Delaney Dzorenda (eight kills), Hailey Staub (four digs, two aces) and Siena Palmer (four digs, two aces).
Beaver County Christian 3, Cornell 0
The Eagles swept the Raiders, 25-12, 25-12, 25-18, in a Class 1A Section 2 match at Beaver County Christian. No further details were available.
Steel Valley 3, Sto-Rox 0
The Ironmen took three straight sets from the Vikings, 25-12, 25-12, 25-7, in a Class 2A Section 2 match at Sto-Rox. No further details were available.
West Allegheny 3, Moon Area 2
The Indians won by set scores of 25-17, 21-25, 25-17, 19-25, 15-10 in this Class 3A Section 1 match.
Elina Antoniades had 20 assists, six kills, five digs and three blocks for Moon. Reese Keslar finished with 13 kills and two aces while Libero Danica Bacu had 15 digs, six assists and three aces.
BOYS SOCCER
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 9, South Side 0
Brady Hernandez led the Chargers attack with a hat trick as they completed their regular season with a flawless 15-0-0 record by blitzing the Rams in a Class 1A nonsection match at Youthtowne.
Grant Griesacker, Finn McGarvey, Patrick Altmar, Dylan Lucchini, Wyatt Walsh and Hunter Smith each scored one goal for OLSH.
Altmar, Ethan Engel and Jack DeWhirst shared the shutout in goal.
The Chargers earlier wrapped up the Section 3 title and will advance to the WPIAL Class 1A Tournament.
Moon 8, Blackhawk 0
The Tigers used goals from seven different players to pummel the Cougars in a 3A Section 4 match at Moon.
The victory sewed up the Tigers’ fourth straight section championship and they improved to 11-5-1 overall and 10-1-1 in the section. They’ll find out Wednesday who they open with in the WPIAL Class 3A Tournament and then close out the regular season against West Mifflin.
Hayden Dunn scored twice for Moon while Laercio de Sousa, Charlie Weiler, Eric Haupt, Evan Anderson, Josias Valle and Gavin McConaghy each scored once. Haupt picked up three assists while Eric Hildenbrand added two. Dunn, Liam Bacu and Jocsan Castillo each finished with an assist.
Will Guarino and Rocco Rellsono shared the shutout in goal.
Chartiers Valley 1, Montour 0 (2 OT)
The Colts snapped a scoreless tie in the second extra period to post a win over the Spartans in the final Class 3A Section 4 match of the season for both teams.
Montour finished the regular season with a 7-5 mark in section play and 9-8 overall. The Spartans will move on to the WPIAL Class 3A tournament and will learn their first-round matchup Wednesday.
GIRLS SOCCER
Sewickley Academy 9, Bishop Canevin 1
The Panthers had little trouble vanquishing the Crusaders in a Class 1A Section 3 match. Cali Evans scored Bishop Canevin’s lone goal.
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