Quaker Valley sweeps Hopewell for 1st WPIAL Class 2A girls volleyball championship

By: Saturday, November 2, 2024 | 3:52 PM

Quaker Valley captured its first WPIAL girls volleyball title with a 3-0 win against Hopewell in the Class 2A final Saturday at Peters Township's AHN Arena.

Molly MacDonald spearheaded the Quakers with 17 kills and 13 digs.

"I'm glad to help out," MacDonald said. "I mean, we all did a great job helping out. We all brought it today. We knew Hopewell was going to bring their all, like when we played them in section. They were ready to beat us, but we worked harder and wanted it more."

Quaker Valley won the first set 25-22 behind three straight kills from MacDonald to break a 22-22 tie. The Quakers won the next set 25-20, and the last set 25-16, as they outscored Hopewell 17-7 down the stretch.

"I'm super proud of the girls and what they did," QV coach Mike Vavrek said. "We didn't play our best game, but they found a way. They kept fighting and fighting. We kept at it against a very good team, and I love what we did."

Every time Hopewell inched closer, Quaker Valley was there to respond.

The team executed in crunch time for all three sets, despite committing errors that helped keep the Vikings in the first two sets.

Nora Hammond tallied 13 kills and 17 digs to help pace the Quakers.

"Nora and I have been playing club for a while, and we've been starting since our freshman year," MacDonald said. "We have consistency there and we're used to being in tough situations. But feel like everyone, even if we're in trouble, or doing bad, anyone could step up and take that position. It's definitely a very important thing to have people like that. We have options."

Another one of those options was Bella Jarrett, who had 11 digs.

"We feed off each other all the time," Hammond said. "Energy is everything in volleyball, and I think we have the best of that in volleyball."

Vanessa Pickett contributed five service aces and racked up 33 assists.

"I just try to do what I can," Pickett said. "I look for open spots and look for the weaker serve receivers. It works out in my favors sometimes."

Pickett added that the victory and a second straight section championship was part of an overall team effort.

"We all feed off each other's energy so much," Pickett said. "We all work together so well. We have a good pass, a good set, and a good hit and we achieve our goals."

Hammond highlighted the Quakers' ability to thwart Hopewell rallies and prevent the Vikings from getting back into the match.

"We have a lot of grit and perseverance," Hammond said. "We play down a lot, but we always come back. We're great at staying constant and we never go down on a rollercoaster."

Vavrek shared the same thoughts, mentioning the Quakers' mental toughness.

"They all do a good job at staying even," Vavrek said. "They never get too high or get too low. We've done that all year and it's been great. It's just us playing our game and not getting rattled by anything."

Hammond packed the first punch on the spike, giving the Quakers the first score.

The Quakers came out with a 5-2 lead in a the first set, but a kill from Hopewell's Jordan Sirianni gave the Vikings some momentum. Sirianni made another point-saving dig that led to an attack error, making it 8-7 Quaker Valley.

Isabella Jarrett then got a much needed spike to give the Quakers a 11-7 lead.

Two attack errors and a kill from Alyssa Spang put Hopewell back in it in the first set, but the Quakers responded with a kill from Mia Gartley. McDonald put them up 14-11.

However, a service error and an attack error, followed by a Bella Ceccarelli kill and an attack error, knotted it up at 14. Pickett then had a kill to break the tie.

A Pickett service ace and a dig and kill from Nora Hammond put them up 17-14. After a Hopewell timeout, Alyssa Spang's block made it 17-15. After a lengthy volley, Hopewell cut it to one at 18-17.

Pickett came up big yet again with a kill to make it 19-17. However, a Sirianni kill and a bad set knotted it back up.

Pickett broke the scoreless tie with a vicious spike. Spang then blocked a spike from Pickett. An attack error from the Quakers tied it at 22.

Hopewell kept battling, but couldn't get over the hump as Amalia MacDonald notched a kill making it 23-22.

MacDonald had another big kill after a Hopewell timeout. She then spiked one giving them the first set 25-22.

Hammond mustered seven kills, while MacDonald had six in the first set.

The Quakers jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the second set.

A service error and a Sirianni kill assisted by Marina Pinchotti made it 7-5. MacDonald went back to work and helped lead the team to a 10-6 lead. A lengthy volley was capped off with a Hammond kill that gave QV a 12-9 lead.

Despite a tremendous dig from Bella Ceccarelli, Hammond notched a kill that made it 13-9. Mia Gartley then made it 14-9 with a kill.

The Quakers continued to win the close volleys as Hammond rose up for a clutch block, making it 15-9.

A service ace from Brianna Inderelst rejuvenated the Vikings offense as they went on a 4-0 run making it 16-14.

The Vikings, however, couldn't get over the hump.

A key block from Isabella Jarrett and a kill from MacDonald made it 20-15 QV.

A service error, a kill from Reese Murray and a service ace from Sirianni cut it to 22-19.

Nonetheless, Quaker Valley continued to perform in the clutch as MacDonald finished the second set with a kill.

MacDonald tallied nine kills in the second set.

Four consecutive errors gave Hopewell an early 4-0 lead in the first set. A spike from Murray put the Vikings up 6-1.

Gartley then got the Quakers back in it with a kill and a service ace. MacDonald tied it 7-7.

QV retook the lead with a Hammond kill. A Nola Ebberts kill and a Hopewell attack error extended their lead to 12-9, earning them four straight points before a Vikings timeout.

The Vikings fell apart after the time out, conceding six straight points.

A Murray kill ended QV's run. Back-to-back Inderlest kills, and a Murray service ace made it 18-13 in favor of QV.

The Quakers went on a 4-0 run led by Pickett and Hammond, inching them closer to a championship with a 22-13 lead.

A kill from Ebberts and Hammond put them one point away with a 24-14 lead.

MacDonald tallied the game-winning spike, claiming the first WPIAL title in school history, winning set three 25-16.

"It feels amazing, especially for the first one in school history," Hammond said. "I wouldn't want to win it with anyone else other than these girls and coaches."