Slow start dooms Frazier in 3-1 loss to Lady Crusaders
Holly Tonini
Frazier’s Sierra Twig (23) and Annya Kossol (14) go for the block against Bishop Canevin’s Alexa Malloy (18) during their WPIAL Class A semifinal match Thursday at Baldwin High School.
Holly Tonini
Frazier’s Annya Kossol (14) keeps the ball in play while teammate Skye Eicher (7) looks on during their WPIAL Class A semifinal playoff match against Bishop Canevin Thursday at Baldwin High School.
Frazier's Alex Muccioli (11) slides across the court to keep the ball in play during the WPIAL Class A semifinal match against Bishop Canevin Thursday at Baldwin High School.
Frazier's Kathryn Barch (2) keeps the ball in play as Lady Commodores coach Mandy Hartman watches during the WPIAL Class A semifinal match Thursday against Bishop Canevin at Baldwin High School.
WHITEHALL — Once Frazier got going, it showed it could play with second-seeded Bishop Canevin in their WPIAL Class A girls volleyball semifinal match.
The trouble was it took the Lady Commodores too long to get their engine humming.
The Lady Crusaders overwhelmed Frazier in the first two games then survived a late rally to defeat the previously unbeaten Lady Commodores, 3-1, at Baldwin High School on Thursday night.
Bishop Canevin (15-1) advances to Saturday’s final against Greensburg Central Catholic at noon, while Frazier (16-1) will play Fort Cherry in the third-place consolation match at 2 p.m. for a chance to qualify for the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 2010. Both of those matches are also at Baldwin.
The Lady Crusaders cruised to 25-15 and 25-13 wins in the first two games against Frazier and looked like they would sweep away the Lady Commodores.
Frazier responded, however, taking the third set in impressive fashion, 25-16, and held the lead throughout the first part of the fourth set before the Lady Crusaders rallied late to clinch the match, 25-22.
“We waited too long to play,” Frazier coach Mandy Hartman said. “We had about 16-17 unforced errors the first game. When we decided to play it was a little bit too late.
“I love my girls. I love the effort they had at the end. But you can’t get down 2-0 in this match, especially against a team that has playoff experience like they do. It’s heartbreaking.”
Skye Eicher, who led Frazier with 12 kills, almost singlehandedly kept her team in the opening game. The Lady Commodores were up 7-5 when Bishoip Canevin went on an 11-3 run to take control. The Lady Crusaders led 21-12 when Eicher notched kills on three of the next four points to make it 22-15, but Bishop Canevin won the final three points, then reeled off the first five points of the second set and never looked back to go up 2-0.
Lady Commodores finally came alive in the third set, thanks in large part to Annya Kossol. Frazier trailed 2-1 early when back-to-back kills by Eicher and consecutive aces by Kossol put Hartman’s squad up 5-2 and it led the rest of the way. In addition to the aces, Kossol totaled two kills, one block and one perfectly placed tip in the game.
Frazier led 14-11 in the fourth set after kills by Hannah Fell and Eicher. The Lady Crusaders rang up the next four points, though, to take a one-point lead. Frazier tied it then took its last lead on an ace by Eicher.
“Skye was amazing,” Hartman said. “She left it all out there tonight. She won us some big points.”
Bishop Canevin won eight of the next nine points to take a 23-17 advantage.
Hartman used a couple time outs to try to keep her team in it and the Lady Commodores reeled off four straight points, including an ace and an athletic save of a ball headed out of bounds that led to a Frazier point by Khristyne Barch to make it 23-21.
The Lady Crusaders won two of the next two points to end it.
“I never give up on this team, even towards the end, because we’ve come back, we’re known for doing that,” Hartman said. “We lost but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort or a lack of teamwork. This team, they’d do anything for each other. It just wasn’t our night.”
Khristyne Barch played a solid all-around game for Frazier with 15 assists, seven service points and five kills. Kossol had six kills and three aces, Kathryn Barch contribured 23 digs and Fell chipped in with five kills.
Hartman will now try to have her team refocus for Saturday’s match.
“You’ve got to shed your tears tonight, put on your big-boy pants tomorrow and get back in the gym and go at it,” Hartman said.