To view game action photos, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
STATE COLLEGE – A trip to the state semifinals probably wasn’t on the radar of anyone associated with the Pennridge boys’ volleyball team when Dave Childs took over the helm five years ago.
On Saturday, both the Rams’ players and coaches were disappointed when their remarkable season came to an end after a 3-0 loss to Pennsbury in the PIAA Class AAA semifinals at Penn State University (19-25, 24-26, 20-25).
That disappointment is an indication of just how far this program has come under Childs.
“It’s definitely a great accomplishment for our team,” Childs said. “Right now it stings pretty bad.
“We didn’t play our best out there. We made a couple of silly mistakes, and when they’re close games like that, those little mistakes make a big difference. A lot of credit to Pennsbury – they’re a great team, and they outplayed us today.”
This year’s Ram squad has set a new standard of excellence for the program. Not only did the Rams advance to the state semifinals, they also captured the SOL Continental Conference title as well as the District One AAA crown, rolling through the entire season without a loss in match play.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s set in yet,” senior Austin Jacoby said. “When I look back at the end of June, early July, I can say, ‘Hey, we were one of the four best teams in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the best volleyball states in the country. We beat the team that’s in the finals, and we’re in the top 10 and will finish in the top four or five in the state.’
“We have come such a long way since we started out as freshmen on the jayvee. We’re here at Penn State playing in the state semifinals.”
Saturday’s game was a rematch of a district title match that saw the Rams de-throne the defending champion Falcons with a 3-1 win.
“I think in district final they knew if they lost that the season wouldn’t necessarily be over, and that was more of a seeding game,” Jacoby said. “This was a winner go home (game), and I think they wanted it that much more.
“Don’t get me wrong – I think they wanted it a lot in the district final, but they knew today if they lost that was it, so they just gave it their all.”
The Rams were once again led by the all-state duo of Jacoby and Zech States. While Jacoby had 13 kills and 14 digs, States had 15 kills and six blocks. Erik Moyer added seven kills and four blocks, and Mike Shenk had five blocks. Defensive libero Jake Braun had 12 digs while setter Will Jager had 30 assists.
“I guess Pennsbury knew us better from just playing us in the district final,” States said. “They had a really big front line, and it was hard to hit around them.”
Part of that imposing front line was Penn State-bound Joe Yasalonis. The Falcons’ 6-8 outside hitter was all but unstoppable with 21 kills and a .364 hitting percentage to go along with 10 digs and one ace.
“He has been working on hitting more line,” States said of Yasalonis. “Before I could set a block up on crosses, and we could get some touches and better blocks on the ball, but he was going more line, and that took away from our defense getting more touches on the ball, and that was a big factor.”
The Falcons’ middles – who were not a force in the initial meeting – combined for five blocks.
According the Jacoby, the return of middle hitter Jim Zaluski, who was sidelined with an ankle injury in the district final, made a difference. While Adam Flick had three blocks, the 6-8 Zaluski had a pair.
“I think he had more of a mental effect,” Jacoby said of Zaluski. “They didn’t block us as well the last time, and 6-8 is 6-8. It’s in your head when you go up to swing.
“Even if he’s not blocking balls, he’s there, he’s got hands there, and it makes you change your swing a lot.”
Dom Tricoche had nine kills and a hitting percentage of .412 to go along with 11 digs.
“He came up big,” Pennsbury coach Justin Fee said.
Jeremy Rhoads had six kills and 12 digs, and setter Ryan Burns had 43 assists. Chris Evans had a pair of service aces, and defensive libero Mike Mimzic had nine digs.
Game one opened with the Rams going on top 3-0 only to watch the Falcons go on a 12-2 tear en route to a 12-5 lead. Included in that run were four kills by Yasalonis as well as single kills from both Adam Flick and Tricoche. Evans delivered a service ace.
The Rams rallied to make it an 18-16 game after a Shenk block, and it was a 19-18 game after a States kill. A Ram miscue as well as three consecutive Yasalonis winners gave the Falcons a 23-18 lead and control of the game as they went on to earn a 25-19 win.
Game two was a classic battle between the rivaling schools.
The Falcons led 9-7 after a Rhoads kill, but back-to-back kills by States and Moyer knotted the score. Yasalonis answered with a kill, but another Moyer winner knotted the score. It was an 11-11 game after a States kill, and the Rams led 12-11 after a States block.
The Rams’ advantage grew to 13-11 after a Falcon passing error, but that lead was short-lived as Pennsbury reeled off five unanswered points to go on top 16-13. Included in that run were winners by Tricoche and Zaluski as well as another Evans service ace. The Falcons still led 22-20, but the Rams rallied to knot the score 23-23 after a Falcon hit out of play.
The Rams led 24-23 after a Cory Chinnici service ace, but a miscommunication on a pass that fell between a pair of Ram players marked the beginning of the end as the Falcons – thanks to a Rhoads kill and a Ram hit out of play - went on to earn a 26-24 win.
“That was big,” Childs said of letting the second game slip away. “It took any momentum we had away. We had to re-find momentum, and we could never get going in the third game until the end.”
In game three, the Falcons opened up a 11-6 lead after a Zaluski block. They extended that lead to 24-16 before the Rams staged a late rally, scoring four unanswered points in a run that included a pair of Jager blocks.
“I thought we played with them,” Jacoby said. “I thought we hit with them, I thought we blocked with them, but I just thought we made a little more mental mistakes than they did.
“I just think they had the mental aspect of the game down today. When we made an error, they keyed on it.”
Although disappointed, States acknowledged that it had been quite a run for a Ram squad that put its name in the history books.
“It’s an awesome feeling even though we didn’t get any further,” he said. “I’m happy with how we started off and how we got here.”
- Log in to post comments
0
