BUTLER TWP — Butler needed a spark, but it never came.

North Allegheny jumped out to sizable leads in every game and blitzed the Golden Tornado in a 25-14, 25-15, 25-15 boys volleyball sweep Thursday night in Butler’s gym.

The Tigers (8-2, 8-1) recently dropped two straight matches to Seneca Valley and Penn-Trafford. They rebounded with a 3-1 Section 2-AAA win over Fox Chapel on Tuesday before their trip to Butler.

“Momentum entering the playoffs is important,” said NA coach Dan Schall. “Our section is great for that because there are a lot of good teams. Results are obviously important, but so is your play. Tonight was probably the most error-free match we’ve had this year.”

The Tigers set the tone early on. Kills by Canyon Tuman, Seth Russell and Eric Visgitis helped NA open the first game with a 14-5 run.

Butler managed just four points with the serve the entire game, two of them coming on aces from Ben Fiorina and Tyler Rankin.

“The only way you are going to get used to that speed of play is to play against it,” said Butler coach Lew Liparulo. “You could see it tonight, we just couldn’t compete with their offense. We didn’t have many blocks.”

Russell, a junior outside hitter who paced NA with 11 kills on the night, tallied four of them in the second game. He and Tuman, a sophomore middle blocker, have been key players for the Tigers this year.

“They have big roles on the team and it says a lot about their maturity,” Schall said. “It shows with the support they have from their teammates.

“Our strength this season is the balance we have across the net. We have a lot of guys who can put the ball away.”

The Tigers led 17-7 in the second game before the Tornado reeled off four straight points. A kill from Nash Bryan helped cut Butler’s deficit to 17-11, but Visgitis ended the spurt with a kill of his own.

Bryan dropped three kills in the third game, but Butler was unable to climb out of a 16-8 hole.

Junior setter M.J. Barton had 26 assists for the Tigers.

Bryan paced Butler with seven kills, Fiorina had seven passes and Wetzel 12 assists.

The top four teams from each section will qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, which begin in mid-May. The Tornado (9-5, 5-3) are currently tied with Pine-Richland for third place in the section. The Rams play host to Butler in a key meeting on Tuesday.

Liparulo wants to see improved and more inspired play from his team.

“We have not played especially well lately,” he said. “Fifty percent of that is on me.”