Round 3: Waynesburg milestone win, Frazier upset sets up 3rd meeting
Waynesburg Central coach Dan Higinbotham talks to his players during a timeout in a match against Carmichaels on Oct. 22 at Waynesburg. The fifth-seeded Lady Raiders won a first-round match for the first time in school history Thursday and will host section rival Frazier tonight in the quarterfinals. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Waynesburg Central’s Sarah Stephenson (8) delivers a kill to close out the second set during the Lady Raiders’ 3-1 win over Carmichaels on Thursday, Oct. 22 in Waynesburg. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Waynesburg Central’s Riley Bowers (13) sends the ball back over the net against Carmichaels during their volleyball match in Waynesburg, Thursday, Oct. 22. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Waynesburg Central’s Paige Jones twists to set the ball during their volleyball match against Carmichaels in Waynesburg, Thursday, Oct. 22. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg Central’s Cayla Rush serves the ball to Carmichaels during their volleyball match in Waynesburg, Thursday, Oct. 22.
Waynesburg Central’s Emma Robinson skies high to send a shot over the net against Carmichaels during their volleyball match in Waynesburg, Thursday, Oct. 22. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Frazier and Waynesburg Central both earned emotional victories in advancing into the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 2A girls volleyball playoffs last Thursday night.
The 13th-seeded Lady Commodores, who swept Burgettstown in a preliminary-round match to reach the first round, upset fourth-seeded Deer Lakes, 3-1, by scores of 25-22, 18-25, 25-14 and 25-20.
The fifth-seeded Lady Raiders claimed a first-round victory for the first time in program history when it fended off 12th-seeded Seton LaSalle, 3-0, by scores of 28-26, 26-24 and 26-24.
That meant one of the two Section 2 rivals was guaranteed a trip into the semifinals as Waynesburg hosted Frazier in the quarterfinals Monday night.
The third-place Lady Commodores (11-5) lost twice in the regular season to the first-place Lady Raiders (12-2).
For Frazier, 2019 has been a role reversal.
Coach Mandy Hartman had a veteran, senior-heavy squad a year ago that felt the heat that goes with being one of the favorites. Although it won another section title, the Lady Commodores were upset in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
This year expectations were much lower.
“We had our struggles this year,” Hartman said. “We battled hard against the top teams in our section but kept coming out on the short end of the stick. When the goal of a section title was not realistic any more, we set new goals.”
That including having success in the postseason. Now Frazier has advanced just as far as that loaded 2019 squad, and is looking for more.
“We started feeling the pressure last year before the season even started,” Hartman recalled. “We said it all year, you’ve got a bullseye on your back. Anywhere you go, people want to beat you.
“This year has been so refreshing for me. This has been one of my favorite seasons, believe it or not, just because all that pressure was off.”
Thursday night, the Lady Commodores were the hunters instead of the hunted.
“I told my girls during one of the timeouts, ‘You realize right now what’s going through their minds. You realize they’re saying to themselves we are the four seed and we’re losing to this team. So you just keep doing what you’re doing,'” Hartman said. “Volleyball is a huge mental game. You’ve got to train yourself to be in the right mindset and believe in yourself.
“There wasn’t pressure on us. We weren’t supposed to win. And anytime you take that pressure off a team, they play with a carefree attitude and spirit. That’s what they did. I think they were able to prove to themselves that, yeah, we can do this.”
Hartman said her team has worked just as hard, if not harder, than any of her previous teams.
“I told the girls after that match this was their payday because they had been working so hard,” Hartman said. “They hadn’t given up on the process and it’s just been very rewarding for me to see that. To be a 13th seed and upset a four seed, I can’t say we’ve ever done that.
“I think that win was about our girls doing their homework, executing a game plan and staying in the right frame of mind for the entire match.”
Waynesburg already had first place in the section sewed up with it lost its regular-season finale at Beth-Center, 3-2. The Lady Raiders won the first set, and Beth-Center stormed back to take the next two, 25-20 and 25-18. The Lady Raiders won the fourth set, 25-11, to tie the match, but the Lady Bulldogs took the final set 15-7.
Noelle Hunter finished with 17 kills and two aces for the Lady Bulldogs (4-8, 4-8). Jen Zelenick had 18 digs and 8 kills. Zoey Sussan led the way with 32 assists adding three aces. Alyssa Minerd had 14 digs, and Anna Sloan added five kills and two aces.
Waynesburg’s players were in a much happier state of mind after Thursday’s landmark victory.
“Last year our first round was against (No. 6) Avonworth and we took them to five games,” said Lady Raiders coach Dan Higinbotham, whose 11th-seeded squad fell by scores of 25-15, 15-25, 25-15, 19-25 and 15-10 in that match.
“So we were right there. It felt real good to get over that hump this year, and we had a real nice crowd to see it also.”
Waynesburg’s match against Seton LaSalle was about as close as a three-game sweep could be.
“We were down in all three games,” Higinbotham said. “My girls, in the timeouts, you could never tell they were down. They came out and no matter what the score was, they played the same. It was fantastic as a coach to just be able to give them some pointers and have them go out there and keep playing. I really commend them for that.
“They stayed the course throughout the match and they’ve done that all year.”
Now Waynesburg and Frazier eyed up each other for Round 3 with a lot more on the line this time. The Lady Raiders won the first two meetings, 3-1 at home on Sept. 22, and at Frazier on Oct. 15 in a five-set thriller, 19-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18 and 15-8.
“We’re excited to play Waynesburg again,” said Hartman heading into the match. “We know they’re a great team and a No. 5 seed for a reason. Let’s just hope maybe the third time is a charm for us.”
Higinbotham wasn’t surprised to see Frazier take out Deer Lakes.
“I expected Frazer to win,” he said. “They played us really well and toward the end of the season they came on strong. They did a really good job. It shows how good our section was. I’m really disappointed that Carmichaels got knocked out due to the COVID there. I thought they would win, too.”
The Lady Mikes were the ninth seed and was scheduled to play at No. 8 Shenango last Thursday when a COVID-19 issue at Carmichaels for them to forfeit the match.
Carmichaels finished second in the section.
Higinbotham said his team had some advantages going into the match with the Lady Commodores.
“I’m happy because with Frazier winning we’ll be at home again, but I guarantee this will be a tough match,” he said. “We do know them well, though. We know how they play, where to set up, what they like to do. So we’re ready.”