Oct 23, 2005 By Jim Downey 2 min read

No. 2 Lady Gators highest seed among 6 area teams in postseason Geibel Catholic snagged the No. 2 seed in Class A as the Lady Gators are one of six local volleyball teams in three classifications entering this week’s WPIAL girls volleyball playoffs.

North Catholic, the No. 1 seed, defeated Geibel, 3-2, on Oct. 12 in a match as close as the score indicates. The Trojanettes went ahead early 2-0, but the Lady Gators surged back to tie the match. North Catholic capped the victory with a thrilling 15-13 fifth set win.

Geibel will host a first-round doubleheader Thursday. Bentworth plays Greensburg Central Catholic in the first match at 6 p.m. with the Lady Gators facing the Fort Cherry-Neshannock preliminary round winner at 7:30.

Frazier, second to Geibel in Section 6-A, nabbed a No. 8 seed in Class A and will travel to Greensburg Salem Thursday to play Leechburg at 6 p.m. Jefferson-Morgan, the third place team from the section, plays Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. Thursday at Moon.

Beth-Center heads to Avonworth to play the No. 4 seed Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Connellsville, under first-year coach Natalie Lilley, finished third in Section 2-AAA, but the road will be tough for the No. 16-seeded Lady Falcons in a first-round match-up against top-seeded Pine-Richland. Connellsville travels to Pine-Richland Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. start.

Southmoreland opens with a preliminary round match Tuesday against Apollo-Ridge at Elderton. The winner will then play West Allegheny on Thursday.

The semifinalists in Class AA and A advance to the PIAA playoffs while the top three teams earn a state berth.