Knoch senior Carly Bozzo bumps a serve during a match this season. Bozzo, a libero, was a key member of the Knights' 24-0 PIAA 3A championship team this season and recently received a national scholarship.

JEFFERSON TWP — The life of a libero isn't an easy one.

But it's the only life Carly Bozzo has ever known.

The Knoch senior doesn't feel right until that first tumble to the floor for a key dig or pancake.

How does she handle the rigors of the position?

“I sleep a lot,” Bozzo said, chuckling. “If you're tired and hurting, you just push through it. You do anything you can to help the team win.”

And Bozzo helped the Knoch girls volleyball team win — a lot.

Bozzo was a key member of the Knights, who went 24-0 and won the PIAA 3A championship.

Even months later, Bozzo still has to pinch herself to confirm that dream season actually happened.

“I think I'm still in awe,” Bozzo said. “I think the fact we won a state title and went undefeated is very humbling. I still can't believe we did that. I still can't believe we pulled something like that off. It's crazy.”

Crazy still is what Bozzo has managed to accomplish in the classroom.

She received a WPIAL scholarship recently and capped that off by being selected as Team Travel Source's College Bound & Proud scholarship for $2,500.

That organization chose one male and one female athlete who are in good standing with USA volleyball, are in their senior year of high school and who were registered for a USAV Junior National Championships event in 2018 to receive the scholarships.

Bozzo played for the Pittsburgh Elite 18 Elite team that competed at the 2018 USA Volleyball Girls' 18s Junior National Championships in Anaheim in late April.

Bozzo received an email the day before she received the scholarship telling her she was in the final four.

“I didn't think I'd be a finalist,” Bozzo said.

Imagine her shock when she won.

“There are no words,” she said. “It's very humbling.”

Bozzo will put her scholarship money to good use at Franklin & Marshall College, a small school in Lancaster.

Bozzo was attracted to Franklin & Marshall because of their high academic standards first and the volleyball program second.

“Volleyball is not forever,” Bozzo said. “It's the style I like — their motto is family and everyone is close and kind to one another.”

Bozzo is excited to begin the next chapter of her life, both on the volleyball court and off of it.

Bozzo will major in business, organization and society at Franklin & Marshall.

At Knoch, she was also a member of the National Honor Society, student council, Future Business Leaders of America, chemistry club, history club and French club.

“I'm done with club volleyball now, but I still go to practices and help out with the other teams,” Bozzo said. “Volleyball has always been a big part of my life.”