Brownsville storms back for 3-2 Section 7 win against Uniontown
Rachael Bruschi was not happy after her Brownsville volleyball team lost the first two sets to host Uniontown, 25-21 and 25-10 on Tuesday. However, the Lady Falcons stormed back to win three straight sets, 25-21, 25-17, 15-8 to take a hard-fought Section 7-AA win and allow their coach to take a sigh of relief. “The last three games they listened and did everything they were supposed to do and hustled. Uniontown played a great game and out hustled and outplayed us in the first two games,” coach Bruschi said.
Uniontown (1-5, 1-2) took control in the first two sets, breaking from the fourth tie at 9-9 in the opening set to build a 19-13 lead. Taylor Campbell and Tori Campbell led the charge with a combined five kills and finish points.
Asya Settles kept Brownsville (4-1, 2-1) close with three early kills and a pair of late kills, but the Lady Falcons could get no closer than 21-20 before a service error opened the door for a 4-1 Lady Raider run to end the match.
The second match was tied six times before Uniontown went on an 18-3 run to close a 25-10 set win. The run included three service points by Jessy Madison and 11 straight service points by Hanna Wagner, and five kills by Tori Campbell, whose service ace provided the final point.
Brownsville took charge of the third set after the third tie at 5-5. After a Uniontown service error, Karmen Bruschi scored a point off the top of the net and an ace by Kaitlyn Kovachick built the lead to 10-5.
The Lady Raiders battled back to within two points on a Tori Campbell block, but the Lady Falcons pulled to a 16-11 lead. The momentum swung further on three service aces by Emily Konter, of which two hit the net and trickled over.
A pair of late service aces by Bruschi and a Uniontown service error ended the set at 25-17 and evened the match at 2-2.
After four ties in the deciding set, Brownsville took control with a 10-3 run that included a pair of kills by Chevelle Stoken, a service ace by Karly Peton, and a finish by Bruschi. Taylor Campbell’s finish point cut the lead to 10-7 before the Lady Falcons closed out the 15-8 clinching win.
Uniontown coach Dario Piccolomini said the match reflected the team’s season thus far. “Our hurdle is that we can’t put away games. We’ve got to keep going and learn to play with each other and trust each other. It’s just going to take time.”
He said Tori Campbell’s all around game was her best of the season. “That’s the kind of game I know she can play. She’s only a sophomore and the sky’s the limit.”
Bruschi said, “I tell the girls all the time that they’ve got to do things right in the first three games and not the last three. (Uniontown) will be a tough match next time. I have a lot of respect for them.”