Lady Scots win FCCA Volleyball Invitational title
HILLER 鈥� The Southmoreland girls ran the table Saturday to win the FCCA Volleyball Invitational held at Brownsville.
The Lady Scots didn鈥檛 drop a set throughout pool play, the semifinals or the championship match.
Southmoreland defeated Laurel Highlands in the title match, 2-0, by the scores 25-21 and 25-17.
The Lady Scots also won two sets from Laurel Highlands in pool play, but the scores were close (25-19, 25-22).
The championship featured several long rallies with both teams scrambling on defense to keep the ball alive.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 the one thing they do very well,鈥� Southmoreland first-year coach MIchelle Pergar said of her squad keeping the play alive. 鈥淭hey play a lot of other sports together, so they know each other.
鈥淭hey know how to communicate with each other. I鈥檇 like for them to communicate more, but I know they have each other鈥檚 back.鈥�
Pergar also appreciates the versatility her squad brings.
鈥淎ll these girls are expected to play back row and front row. I think that helps us,鈥� said Pergar.
Laurel Highlands coach Michaela Hall also acknowledged her squad鈥檚 ability to keep the ball alive for long rallies.
鈥淚 like scrappy, but scrappy is more messy,鈥� said Hall. 鈥淢y girls played fine. We lacked movement on defense today.
鈥淲e wanted to clean up (the lineup) and figure out what our starting lineup was.鈥�
Both coaches feel their respective squads had a productive day of volleyball.
鈥淭hese girls were going to see a lot of good competition. They鈥檙e not in our section, but I know quality and I knew we were going to have quality teams here to play,鈥� said Pergar.
Laurel Highlands will play two of the teams this week, Connellsville and Carmichaels.
Pergar likes the dynamic of her squad as they attempt to build on last year鈥檚 solid season.
鈥淭hese girls are a tough team. They鈥檙e able to be pushed, which is a breath of fresh air, and I think they鈥檙e going to do fantastic in the section,鈥� said Pergar, adding, 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a fun group of girls.鈥�
Hall saw value in the long day of volleyball in preparation for the section schedule as Laurel Highlands looks for another playoff berth.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to have a good season. They鈥檙e strong players,鈥� said Hall. 鈥�(The tournament) was really good, especially playing Southmoreland. We鈥檙e always telling the girls about facing adversity.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what helps us with those teams like Thomas Jefferson, the higher level teams.鈥�
Southmoreland and Laurel Highlands had byes in the championship round.
Belle Vernon defeated Carmichaels, 25-21, and Albert Gallatin fended off Connellsville, 25-17, in the first round of the Gold Bracket. Southmoreland downed Belle Vernon, 25-22, and Laurel Highlands defeated Albert Gallatin, 25-23, to advance to the title game.
Girls soccer
Waynesburg Central 8, Albert Gallatin 0; Waynesburg Central 7, Uniontown 0 鈥� The Lady Raiders won a pair of matches in the FCCA Shootout hosted by Albert Gallatin.
Kolbi Rastoka led Waynesburg against Albert Gallatin with three goals and an assist. Emily Rafferty scored two goals and assisted on two. Bree Clutter, Jaden Tretinik and Avery Davis all scored one goal, and Rylei Rastoka assisted on three goals.
Peyton Cowell was tough in the net for the shutout.
Kolbi Rastoka scored two goals and had two assists in the win over Uniontown. Rylei Rastoka netted two goals, and Clutter and Rafferty both scored one goal apiece. Cowell again had the shutout.
In other tournament matches, Laurel Highlands defeated Brownsville, 8-2.
Belle Vernon 2, Baldwin 1; Connellsville 2, Belle Vernon 1 鈥� The host Lady Leopards split their matches in the Paul Sasko Kickoff Classic.
Jordyn McDowell set up Sammy Mincone for the only goal of the first half against Baldwin. Chessa Mertz scored the game-winning run in the second half.
Rory Bastedo and Skylar Salay combined for 12 saves.
Abby Wilson tied the game for Belle Vernon (2-2) with a goal at 32:10 in the second half.
The Lady Falcons鈥� Amelia Lincoln scored the game-winning goal at 24:07 of the second half off Avery Lape鈥檚 corner kick.
Lape scored the match鈥檚 opening goal at 27:15 in the first half with the assist going to Hayley Washington.
Connellsville keeper Sara Tinkey made two saves. Bastedo and Salay combined to make 12 saves.
Boys soccer
Beth-Center 2, Laurel Highlands 2 鈥� Both teams scored two goals in the second half in a FCCA Shootout tournament match at Uniontown.
Parker Amos and Nekonda Bundy scored for the Bulldogs (1-0-1).
Uniontown defeated Brownsville, 4-2.
Boys cross country
Marty Uher Vulcan Invitational 鈥� The Uniontown boys won the small school team title after placing three runners in the top 10.
The Red Raiders were fourth among all teams with 148 points.
Cooper Gilleland was second in the small school division and seventh overall in a time of 18:23.2. Teammate Ethan Syner crossed the finish line in third place (and 10th overall) in 18:34.9. Chase King was ninth (and 32nd overall) with a time of 19:47.8.
California鈥檚 Carter Kent placed eighth in the small school division and 26th overall in 19:39.6.
University High won the big team title with 21 points. University鈥檚 Tyler Umbright finished first in 17:10.1.
Girls cross country
Marty Uher Vulcan Invitational 鈥� The Uniontown girls made it a sweep of the small school team titles with all six runners earning medals after placing in the top 20.
Uniontown placed fifth among all teams with 143 points.
Arrington Scott (6, 24:07), Addy Martin (8, 24:36.6), Paisley Murtha (11, 24:50.3), Emma Young (12, 25:09.4), Hannah Foster (15, 25:42.3), and Sadie Hostetler (17, 25:50.8) led the Lady Raiders to the team title.
California鈥檚 Lucia Meiss was ninth in the small school division with a time of 24:38.0, finishing just over five seconds ahead of Belle Vernon鈥檚 Brooklyn Steeber.
Albert Gallatin senior Mia Medved had an impressive performance in the season-opening meet with a seventh-place overall finish in a time of 21:49.3.
University High (W.Va.) won the big school team title with 19 points. Abigail Rogers (20:44) and Adelyn Tager (21:01.1) finished 1-2 for University.