Valiant Commodores fall to defending state champion Maplewood
HARMONY — Mandy Hartman knew the opponent well.
The Frazier girls volleyball coach had watched her team fall to District 10 champion Maplewood in the PIAA quarterfinals a year ago in Class A. The Tigers went on to win the state title.
Both teams were bumped up to Class 2A this season and there were the Tigers again in the Commodores’ path in the PIAA quarterfinals Saturday at Seneca Valley High School.
As it did last season, Frazier put up a valiant fight but fell to Maplewood, 3-0, by scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 27-25.
Coach Sheila Bancroft’s Tigers dropped only two sets in last year’s run to the PIAA championship and one was to the Commodores, who gave them their toughest match of the tournament in a 3-1 loss. Maplewood (18-1) advances to Tuesday’s semifinals against WPIAL champion Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which beat Fort Cherry, 3-0.
Frazier, which fell to OLSH in the WPIAL final, finishes its season with at 19-5.
“We’re playing a legacy program, last year’s state champion,” Hartman said of Maplewood. “They’re very experienced and seemed to really crank it up when they needed to.
“But I have to give my girls all the credit in the world. At the beginning of the season nobody would’ve envisioned us playing in this match today. The progress they’ve made from June till now is unreal.
“I’m just so proud of everyone and their efforts. We played great today. We got beat by a team that was a little bit better than us.”
The Commodores trailed by as many as eight points in the first set but battled back to within 23-18, prompting Bancroft to call a timeout. Gionna Rumbaugh’s kill got Frazier within four but the Tigers took the next two points and the set.
Maplewood jumped out to an early four-point lead in the second set but the Commodores pulled even three times, at 8-8 and 9-9, both on kills by Mia West, and at 11-11.
The Tigers used a three-point run to get some breathing room but again Frazier fought back and got within one four different times.
Consecutive kills by Allie Monack made it 15-14, a kill by Rumbaugh made it 16-15, a kill by Monack made it 17-16 and a kill by Morgan Fisher made it 18-17.
Maplewood managed to keep the Commodores at bay and after another kill by Fisher whittled the lead to 20-18, the Tigers reeled off the next five points to go up 2-0.
Frazier regrouped and stormed out to a 13-5 advantage in the third set thanks to a six-point run capped by three straight service aces by Monack.
“We were trying to do some different things,” Hartman said.
Maplewood came storming back with a 9-2 run to get within 15-14, but the Commodores fired right back with two kills by Anna Essington, an ace by Fisher and a kill by Monack to increase their advantage to 19-14.
Frazier held a 21-16 lead after a block kill by Rumbaugh.
Maplewood answered out of a timeout by Bancroft with an 8-1 flourish to give itself a pair of match points.
The Commodores staved off both of them on kills by Monack and Fisher, and then a Monack service ace gave Frazier a set point.
The Tigers hung tough, though, and took the final three points to end it.
“At the end of the day, that team lives and dies on their defense,” Hartman said. “Not many balls hit the floor.
“When you’re playing a team like that it’s tough. It can cause a lot of frustration for our hitters. They’re a great team.”
Frazier was coming off an epic battle at District 9 champion Clarion Limestone in the first round, winning 3-2 by scores of 25-22, 25-27, 26-24, 20-25 and 15-12.
Maplewood topped visiting Northern Cambria in the first round, 3-1.
Saturday was the last match for Frazier seniors Monack, West, Grace Polkabla, Addison Hiles and Lola Marish.
“This senior class will be one I will always hold very dear to my heart,” Hartman said. “From day one, they were leaders on and off the court. They’re going to be greatly missed.
“Their performance, and their heart in how they play is unmatched. I think they’re going to continue to do well at the next level in volleyball and in life.”