Frazier seeded No. 3 in volleyball pairings
Frazier drew the No. 3 seed in the WPIAL Class A girls volleyball pairings released on Monday.
The Section 5 champion Lady Commodores (13-0,12-0) will go up against a familiar team in 14th-seeded Carlynton, which defeated them in the first round last season. Frazier will host the Lady Cougars at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Geibel Catholic, which tied with Carmichaels for second place at 9-3 behind Frazier in Section 5, was seeded 11th and will take on sixth-seeded Shenango at Greensburg Salem at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The Wildcats were co-champions of Section 3 with Neshannock at 11-1.
The Lady Mikes were seeded 10th and will play seventh-seeded Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Thomas Jefferson. The Chargers were the Section 4 champions at 11-1.
In Class AA, Brownsville, which finished in third place at 11-3 in Section 5, will play a preliminary round match 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Derry, which tied for third place in Section 3 at 9-5.
Carlynton was 10th seeded last year when it defeated the seventh-seeded Lady Commodores, 3-1.
“The girls are excited to play them again,” said Frazier coach Mandy Hartman.
“I was really happy with the 3 seed. There are a lot of quality teams in Class A. I think our team is gaining respect.”
If Frazier and Geibel Catholic both win, the two will meet in the quarterfinals. The unbeaten Lady Commodores closed the regular season with a thrilling, 3-2 win at Geibel Catholic when they rallied from two sets down.
“I’m still exhausted from that match,” Hartman said with a laugh when asked about the possibility of playing the Lady Gators again in the playoffs. “We certainly don’t want to look ahead.”
Hartman does see Geibel as a legitimate threat in Class A, however.
“I have a lot of respect for Geibel,” Hartman said. “They are the total package. I think they’re right there with anybody else in Class A.”
Biship Canevin (10-0) is the No. 1 seed in Class A, followed by Greensburg Central Catholic (12-0), Frazier and Bentworth (12-0).
If the Lady Falcons defeat Derry, they will play as the No. 15 seed at second-seeded Thomas Jefferson (14-0) at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.