Geibel Catholic sharp in WPIAL volleyball opener
GREENSBURG – If Geibel Catholic’s girls’ volleyball team was rusty last night, as its coach believed, then it must be something to behold when it’s sharp. Geibel zipped past Trinity Christian Academy, 3-0, in the first round of the WPIAL Class A. The game scores of 15-12, 15-10 and 15-8 indicated a well-played match, but Geibel coach Rick Watkins wasn’t so sure.
“I thought we were a little inconsistent,” he said. “We didn’t move well. This team, when playing well as it did in spurts tonight, can play much better, but we weren’t moving. Our last match was two weeks ago, so that may have had something to do with it.”
Statistically, Geibel (17-5) was led by the serving of Ashley Speeney (15 points) and Molly McGrath (12 points), the hitting of Julie Kirik (17 kills) and Jess Vilella (10 kills), and the setting of Kristin Hozak (32 assists).
Kirik is the star hitter. A 6-footer, she dominated the net when the games drew close. Geibel trailed the first game, 12-11, when McGrath served with Kirik and Vilella up front. The three-point run set up the game point that Kirik served, Speeney set and Vilella killed.
In the second game, Geibel never trailed by more than a point and took control with the score tied 10-10. With Speeney serving, Geibel scored the final five points to win Game 2.
In Game 3 of the best-of-five series, Geibel overcame deficits of 4-1, 5-2 and 6-3 to clinch the match with a 15-8 win. McGrath served through a key four-point run and Speeney served through a five-point run that gave Geibel a 13-6 lead. An ace from Kirik scored the match’s final point.
“They served really well and we didn’t respond in the first few games,” said Watkins. “But we’ve got good hitters. We were better up front than them, I think. We just could’ve been more consistent. If we’re not more consistent Thursday, we’ll be in a tough spot.”
Geibel’s opponent Thursday will be fifth-seeded South Side Beaver, a 3-0 winner over California. But with quality hitters, a hustling defense and a setter in Hozak who plays like she’s a coach’s daughter, fourth-seeded Geibel has the ingredients to make a run at a WPIAL championship.
“We’re hoping,” Watkins said. “We usually play much sharper than we did tonight. I guess there were a few nerves and then there was the layoff. I hope that’s what it was anyway.”
Watkins was asked if there was anyone beyond the statistical leaders whom he felt played well.
“Molly McGrath had some good stretches of serves that got us back in a couple of those games,” he said. “Ashley Kreinbrook was consistent. She hustled and gave us some good swings. If I had to pick the most consistent player, Jess moved well and had some unexpected swings and blocks. But, really, they all step up when they have to.”