West Shamokin Wins First Round PIAA Matchup
West Shamokin girls` volleyball players celebrate their victory last night in the PIAA playoffs (submitted photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
West Shamokin’s varsity girls` volleyball team loss in the WPIAL championship Saturday ended their unbeaten record.
But, the athletes quickly put the game behind them to win the first round of the PIAA state playoffs last night in Dubois.
Senior Carmen Riggle said the loss to Freeport Saturday was disappointing to the entire team, but found a silver lining in the No. 2 seed.
“We feel since we lost, we have a better chance at making the state championship,” Riggle said.
This is the farthest in the playoffs Riggle has played so far. She said the team’s chemistry led to last night’s 3-0 (27-25, 25-12 and 25-13) victory and knock off a “solid” Bradford Area team. West Shamokin played - and beat - Bradford during a timed tournament this past summer.
“It feels pretty good to go far,” Riggle said.
Coach Dan Spencer said he didn’t have to re-motivate his team after Saturday’s loss.
“That chapter’s done - now we move to the next part of the book,”
“(Tuesday night), we squeezed by the first one and one the second two pretty-easily,” Coach Spencer said. “I think we got a little calmed down, blocked and passed well. When you do those things, the results are good.”
Coach Spencer praised the team defense - including Stephanie Schreckengost, Olivia Fusaro and Kaitlynn Steele - for the win.
“We were really excited to play in the state championships and it showed,” Fusaro, a sophomore, said.
West Shamokin will next play Saturday night versus Fort LeBoeuf, but the time and site have not yet been determined.
With a win, West Shamokin could play Freeport yet again in the state semi-finals.
Local Sports | jweaver November 11, 2015
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