Knoch's Hannah Rowe holds up the championship trophy with Kerrie Fitzpatrick (15) after the Knights earned a 3-0 sweep of Thomas Jefferson Saturday at Fox Chapel High School to win their second consecutive WPIAL 3A title.

O'HARA TWP — Hannah Rowe clutched the WPIAL championship trophy tightly and close to her.

The junior on the Knoch volleyball team wasn't going to easily let it go — just like she wasn't going to easily leave the volleyball court despite a knee and ankle barking at her with pain.

Rowe had 14 kills while playing hurt and Kennedy Christy added 12 kills as the Knights celebrated their second consecutive WPIAL 3A title after a 25-21, 25-21, 25-21 win over Thomas Jefferson Saturday at Fox Chapel High School.

“I wasn't feeling too hot out there,” said Rowe, a junior who has battled a balky left knee throughout her career and wears a heavy brace to protect it.

“If I don't have the team I have right now telling me, 'It's going to be OK. It's going to be OK. You can push through it,' I don't think I'd be able to do it.”

Knoch (22-0) also pushed through some adversity in all three sets against Thomas Jefferson.

Now Knoch will open the PIAA playoffs against Elizabeth Forward, the fourth-place team out of the WPIAL, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at North Catholic High School.

This is an excerpt — read a full report from the match in Monday's Butler Eagle.