ROSS TWP — Handing North Allegheny its first defeat of the season was the challenge facing the Seneca Valley girls volleyball team Thursday night.

Though the Raiders had their moments, they were never able to put together consistent runs in a 3-0 WPIAL Class AAA semifinal loss at North Hills Middle School.

SV’s dreams of a district title folded in a 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 setback. It was the third time this season that the Raiders fell to the Tigers (19-0).

Raiders’ coach Karen Martini believed that a 3-1 defeat to NA in early October was due mostly to self-inflicted errors rather than Tiger supremacy.

“Tonight was pretty much the same thing,” she said after her team gave up crucial points on service errors, net violations and double-hits. “I told our players before the game tonight that the team with the least amount of errors was going to win.”

The first set was tied several times and as late as 19-all, but a kill from Lauren Swartz sparked the Tigers to a 6-1 run that closed the set in favor of NA.

NA managed a 6-0 spurt to take control of the second set. The Tigers featured better fundamental play than in their quarterfinal win on Tuesday.

“The match against Armstrong (a 3-1 win) was an example of our up and down play,” said Tigers’ coach Heidi Miller. “Yesterday in practice, we focused on being more consistent with things like where to serve, where to block and passing.”

The Raiders (17-4) didn’t back down, however, and led the third set 19-18 before an injury to senior hitter Madeline Poirier broke the team’s momentum. Poirier had 14 kills on the night, including six in the second set. She later returned to the court, but couldn’t prevent the Tigers from one last run to close the match.

A pair of blocks from Swartz, a service ace from Beth Muhlenkamp and a kill courtesy of Annika Chang accounted for the final four points.

While the Tigers managed a pair of 5-0 runs and a 6-0 run during the match, SV never scored more than three consecutive points and accomplished that on two occasions, aided by back-to-back aces from Bella Seman in the first set and Tatum Poirier in the third.

“It’s extremely frustrating because matchup to matchup, we’re the better team,” Martini said.

Swartz led the Tigers with eight kills.

Tatum Poirier added nine kills for the Raiders.

The Tigers will head to the WPIAL final, where they will face Baldwin in a rematch of last year’s title match won by the Highlanders 3-2. Miller believes her team has improved enough to claim the district crown.

“Our depth and balance are the two biggest reasons we are undefeated,” she said. “Defending us is not easy because we can score so many ways.”

Seneca was without senior setter Madison Chapman, who has been in and out of the lineup since returning from injury. Martini hopes to have her back on the court for Saturday’s consolation match against Upper St. Clair, which will determine third place and the final berth into the upcoming state playoffs.