Cranberry Avenges Previous Loss to Redbank With Sweep in KSAC Third-Place Match

CLARION, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Ayanna Ferringer dove and stuck her right arm out. The ball soared over the net and dropped just inside the line for the deciding point in a second-set win.

The play helped the Cranberry volleyball team avoid a disheartening loss after leading the set, 23-17, at one point and sent the Berries on their way to a 25-13, 26-24, 25-16 sweep over Redbank Valley in the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament Third-Place Match at Tippin Gymnasium on Wednesday night.

(Pictured above, Cranberry’s Ayanna Ferringer was the ExploreClarion and Hager Paving Incorporated KSAC Consolation Player of the Game)

“That meant a lot,” Ferringer said. “I just had to be ready and I just kind of threw my arm out there.”

It was also a bit of revenge for Cranberry, which lost to Redbank Valley in five sets just a few weeks ago.

“At the end of that match, the girls said they really wished they could get to play Redbank again,” said Cranberry coach Jennifer Stover. “I said, ‘Well, you might get to.’ They were really excited.”

It showed early as the Berries came out with energy in building an 11-5 lead early and cruising.

The star of the set was Sarah Schoch, who had five kills and took the pressure off Ferringer.

“Sarah has continued to gain consistency throughout the season,” Stover said. “Ayanna is our power player, but we can’t just do it with Ayanna. Sarah has really stepped up so that when Ayanna is on the back row, Sarah is kind of taking over in that second spot up front.”

Ferringer, the KSAC MVP, played like it — not just at the net.

Her play at the end of the second set highlighted just how good she has been as an all-around player.

Ferringer still finished with 15 kills and five blocks. She also had a dozen digs to help Cranberry to the consolation win.

Half of her kills and blocks came in the final set as the Berries rallied from an early deficit and cruised.

Cranberry is also hopeful the two matches against Clarion-Limestone and Redbank Valley will give it some momentum heading into the District 9 Class 2A playoffs, which begin next week.

“It definitely gave us a lot of really good competition,” Ferringer said. “It was good practice to play against two really good teams like that.”

Taylor Ripple and Mylee Harmon each had 11 kills to lead Redbank.

In the grand scheme of things, the KSAC Tournament doesn’t change the seeding for the D9 playoffs.

“Even going into last night, our whole philosophy was we were coming in as the fourth-place team and it has absolutely nothing to do with seeding heading into districts,” Stover said. “We were going to play like we had nothing to lose. While we were disappointed about yesterday (a four-set loss to unbeaten C-L), they were pleased with how they played.”