North Penn Girls Volleyball Win a Tough Opener Over Lansdale Catholic
The North Penn girls' volleyball team is 1-0 with a 5-set win against cross-city rival Lansdale Catholic. The Knights started the match slowly with a 22-25 loss in set one on strong serving and timely hitting from Lansdale Catholic.
The Lady Knights bounced back in set two, starting with an 8-0 serving run by senior captain Belle Mikulski and strong outside support from senior Madlen Potrusilova and sophomore Holland Van Ooyen. The team picked up their blocking lead by Junior middle hitter Maya Mikulski, junior right-side hitter Teju Arun, and sophomore middle hitter Sienna Andolino, shutting down the Lansdale Catholic attack. Maya Mikulski flexed her muscle in set two, hammering kills through the Lansdale Catholic defense. Holland Van Ooyen served the last three points, with Teju Arun shutting the door with a stuff block on the Lansdale Catholic outside hitter. The Knights won the set 25-18.
Lansdale Catholic bounced back in the third set with a strong serving performance, winning the set 25-20.
North Penn took control in set four with another 9-0 serving run by senior captain Belle Mikulski. The Knights grew the lead to 10 points at 13-3. Lansdale Catholic clawed back with a fast-paced serving sprint, tying the game 23-23 with the serve after a Knights timeout. Lansdale Catholic took the lead at 24-23, and a net violation on Lansdale tied the game at 24-24. Madlen Potrusilova served for the set and Holland Van Ooyen sealed the game with a hard-driven ball to the far corner, winning 26-24.
Set five started with Lansdale Catholic serving, and North Penn sided out with sophomore Holland Van Ooyen hitting a hard shot to the back corner like her game-winner in game four. Like set two and four, senior captain Belle Mikulski served a 4-0 run for a commanding lead in the 15-point game five. The Knights battled with junior setter Sofie Potrusilova playing front row, giving Lansdale a new look. Lansdale was gaining momentum, but an overturned call extended the Knights' lead to 7-2. North Penn extended the lead to 13-5 on a strong serving run by junior Sofie Potrusilova and scrappy defense by the Lady Knights. Lansdale Catholic made one last push, closing the gap at 13-8, but Senior Madlen Potrusilova sided out on a tip, nipping the line for a score. Her sister, junior Sofie Potrusilova, ended the match on a clutch setter dump, winning 15-10.
The North Penn won a tightly contested match against a talented Lansdale Catholic squad with outstanding performances by the entire Knights team.