Freeport senior libero Claire Crytzer reaches out to bump a ball during the WPIAL quarterfinals. Crytzer and the Yellowjackets will play Delone Catholic in the PIAA 2A championship match at 1 p.m. Saturday at Richland High School in Johnstown.

BUFFALO TWP — Back in the preseason, Freeport volleyball coach Tom Phillips watched his volleyball team and felt there was something a little extra special about the group.

“The one thing this team has is great balance,” Phillips said. “We can come at you in so many different ways.”

Freeport can kill a team out of the gym. The Yellowjackets can also defend, frustrating an opponent like they frustrated Beaver in the WPIAL 2A semifinals Tuesday.

That defense is anchored by Claire Crytzer, a dynamo that seems to be in multiple places at once.

“Claire gets to a lot of balls that an average person doesn't get to,” Phillips said. “She makes us go. She's the glue that holds us together.”

Freeport will need its balance and its glue Saturday when it takes on undefeated Delone Catholic in the PIAA 2A finals. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Richland High School in Johnstown.

“One thing about this team is they listen and they believe,” Phillips said. “And we've been playing at a really high level.”

So has Delone Catholic (21-0), the District 3 champion. The Squires haven't lost a set in the state playoffs, sweeping its way to the final.

“When you get to this point, everyone is good,” Phillips said. “They're a solid team and they don't make a lot of mistakes. They have a good defense. They're not a big team, but they have a pretty good right-side hitter, a left-hander.”

Sophomore Maddie Clabaugh leads the Squires with 161 kills this season.

Phillips has watched lots of film on Delone Catholic and has been struck by how fundamentally sound the Squires are.

“I've been trying to pick up on some tendencies, but they're a team that doesn't do anything special,” Phillips said. “They run a basic offense and have good ball control.”

Phillips' plan against Beaver was anything but basic.

He completely overhauled his rotation to account for the Bobcats' 6-footer in the middle, Macy McElhanney.

It was a gamble, but it worked.

Freeport (24-3) will return to its normal rotation against Delone Catholic.

And the Yellowjackets will again try to knock off an undefeated opponent. They've already beaten three of them in the postseason.

“After we lost that WPIAL championship match (to Beaver), we completely regrouped and re-evaluated our attitudes,” Cryzter said. “We put our foot on the gas and did not let up.”