Clarion-Limestone Holds Off Pesky Port Allegany in Four Sets to Move on in Class A Postseason

STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT/D9) — It’s never easy once the playoffs roll around.

No one ever said it was supposed to be easy.

The Clarion-Limestone volleyball team rallied in each the third and fourth sets to claim a 25-20, 18-25, 25-23, 25-13 win over Port Allegany in the District 9, Class A quarterfinals on Thursday evening at Clarion-Limestone.

“In all honesty, we’ve played a lot of really good teams this season, but I feel that Port Allegany played one of the best matches against us all season,” said C-L head coach Ryan Troupe. “They didn’t make a lot of mistakes and they mixed things up and we really had to fight for everything tonight.”

Maddy Greeley and Hannah Beggs combined for 26 kills with 13 kills apiece. Alyssa Wiant added 11 kills while Jenna Dunn put away eight and Ansley Burke five.

Kaylee Smith handed out 35 assists. Abby Knapp-Greeley picked up 15 digs while serving for 11 points. Wiant also served for 11 points. Dunn picked up 13 digs while Beggs picked up 11 digs with 14 service points including six aces.

“Kaylee is such a great setter and she’s always putting the ball where it needs to be,” said Maddy Greeley. “I can’t say enough about her. We’re all really happy with each other and we don’t care who has the most kills or whatever. We just want to keep the blockers guessing and try to wear them down from having to move back and forth so much.”

Clarion-Limestone Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.

In the early going it looked as though C-L would run away with the first set in building a 12-3 lead. However, Port Allegany would use a 12-5 run to close to within two at 17-15. The Lions would then finish the first set with an 8-5 edge to take the opening set 25-20.

After going back and forth in the early going of the second set, the Gators would steadily open things up and eventually take a commanding 19-11 lead. C-L would close to within five at 19-14, but the lead would prove too much as Port Allegany would take the second set 25-18.

(Both Hannah Beggs, No. 26, and Maddy Greeley, No. 27, were named the Hager Paving Incorporated Players of the Game/photos by Diane Lutz)

C-L would take a 4-2 lead in the third set before Port Allegany would battle back to take a 5-4 lead. After a 6-6 tie, the Gators would use an 11-5 run to take a 17-11 lead. C-L once again fought back to within 17-15 to force a Port Allegany timeout. With the Gators leading 23-20 and after the second timeout by C-L of the set, the Lions would secure the next five points to take the third set 25-23. Dunn put away the kill which gave C-L a 24-23 lead which was their first since 4-2. Greeley then notched the kill which sealed the set.

“These girls have shown all season that being down in a set doesn’t mean it’s over,” said Troupe. “They still have to keep playing and that’s what they do. I think they were playing not to lose in that second set and parts of the third instead of playing to win. They dug deep and were able to come back and get that important third set.”

The Gators jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the fourth set. After a Beggs kill, Wiant stepped to the service line and served for the next six points for a 7-6 Lady Lions lead. Port Allegany would hold a 9-8 lead which would turn out to be their last of the match. From there it would be all C-L in finishing off the set and the match with a 17-4 run to close the set and the match 25-13.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves,” said Greeley. “We just knew we had to trust each other and trust ourselves and our coaches. We just had to come out and play our game.”

Kayleigha Dowell led Port Allegany with nine kills while Lily Lehmier added eight kills, and Ella Moses put away six kills. Moses and Amber Funk each picked up 10 digs while Isla Lehmier handed out 26 assists.

C-L will face Oswayo Valley on Tuesday evening at C-L with a first serve scheduled for 6:30 p.m..

“We’ve told the girls that the Class A field in District 9 is a solid group of teams,” said Troupe. “Any one of them is capable of winning each night out. The margin for error is so small. We’ll have to bring our A game for sure on Tuesday.”

Clarion-Limestone Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.