Class AA Championship
Bradford 3, Punxsutawney 1
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Bradford raced out to wins in the first two sets and then held off a Punxsutawney comeback attempt to win its second District 9 Class AA volleyball title in three years with a 3-1 victory at St. Marys High School.
The Lady Owls had easy wins in the first two sets taking them by scores of 25-14 and 25-15. But Punxsutawney rallied in the third set wining 25-21 and then the fourth set was a tight affair that Bradford pulled out 25-23.
Bradford will face the second-place team out of the WPIAL, either Freeport or West Shamokin, Tuesday at a District 9 site and time to be determined.
No stats for this match were provided.
Class A Quarterfinals
Clarion 3, Redbank Valley 2
NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. – In a knockout, drag-down fight between two of the top teams in District 9, five-time champion and sixth-seeded Clarion got a big fifth set from Olivia Burns to top third-seeded Redbank Valley 3-2 in New Bethlehem.
Burns had five kills in the decisive fifth set, which the Lady Cats, who have won 8 of the last 9 D9 titles, won 15-12.
Clarion took the first set 25-18 before Redbank Valley evened the match with 25-15 win in the second set. The Lady Cats moved to the brink of moving on with a 25-20 win in set number three but the Lady Bulldogs forced the deciding fifth set with a 25-21 win.
Burns finished with 15 kills, Sophie Wolf had 11 kills and Keanna Over had 10.
Becca Dougherty and Macy King led Redbank Valley with 11 kills each.
Clarion will take on second-seeded Elk County Catholic in the semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School with the winner advancing to the 1:30 p.m. title game and the loser going into the consolation game at 12:30 p.m., which is a best of 3.
Elk County Catholic 3, Kane 1
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Behind 13 kills from Cassidy Cunningham and 10 from Mackenzie Gahr second-seeded Elk County Catholic knocked off 10th seed Kane 3-1.
The Lady Crusaders won the first set 25-21 before Kane rallied to take set two 25-19. But ECC won the next two sets 25-18, 25-6.
Cunningham added a pair of blocks, while Riley Herzing had four kills and two blocks.
Camyrn Cummings had six kills and three blocks to lead Kane, while Kendra Udovich had five kills and Ella Marconi four blocks.
ECC will take on Clarion in the semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School.
Coudersport 3, Otto-Eldred 1
COUDERSPORT, Pa. – After dropping the first set to Otto-Eldred, fourth-seeded Coudersport rallied to take the next three sets to knock off fifth-seeded Otto-Eldred 3-1 (16-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-15).
Ali Easton (22) and Adrian Page (30) go up for a block in Thursday’s win over Otto-Eldred – Photo by Paul Burdick
Ali Easton led the Lady Falcons with 10 kills and nine blocks, while Macy Gleason had eight kills, three blocks and 30 digs. Emily Morey added 20 assists, six kills and three blocks and Kiara Perkins four kills and four aces.
Otto-Eldred got 16 kills, nine blocks and 10 digs from Kamyrn Thomas, and Allison Cousins had 10 kills an 10 digs. Emily Smith set the offense up with 27 assists.
Coudersport will take on top-seeded A-C Valley in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School.
A-C Valley 3, Smethport 1
FOXBURG, Pa. – After dropping the first set 24-26 to upset minded Smethport, the eighth seed, top-seeded A-C Valley roared back to take the next three sets by scores of 25-13, 25-16 and 25-12 and get a 3-1 win over the visiting Hubbers.
Josie Terwilliger recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 23 digs while adding three blocks as did Haley Wetzel with 12 kills and 11 digs. Katie Stumpber and Morgan Cratty each chipped in with eight kills with Cratty also coming up with seven blocks and Stumpner 29 digs. Alyssa Babock (20 assists, 10 digs) and Kirsten Rothen (18 assists, 10 digs) ran the offense.
A-C Valley will take on Coudersport in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School.
