BUTLER TWP — Butler girls volleyball coach Meghan Lucas still can see the play in her mind.

Katie Willison setting the ball to middle hitter Ashley Grenet, who deftly dribbled a shot off the fingertips of Seneca Valley's blockers.

As the ball fell to the ground, the Golden Tornado's 10-year girls playoff drought fell with it.

"We just erupted,"said Lucas, the team's fourth-year coach. "This is what we've been working toward."

The Golden Tornado (7-7, 7-5) defeated Seneca Valley 25-27, 25-23, 19-25, 25-16, 15-13 on the road last Thursday to earn the right to face Penn-Trafford on the road at 7:30 p.m. today in Butler's first playoff game in 10 years.

Grenet's point was the 15th and final point of the fifth game. Had Butler lost that night, its season would have been over.

"It wasn't going to happen,"said senior co-captain and defensive specialist Yuki Schaper. "Our whole team was so focused. We were going to hit the floor (to defend) every shot. That point had to be ours."

The Tornado's other co-captain is its only other senior:middle hitter Amy Achesinski. She has now reached the WPIALplayoffs in two sports, as she is also the leading scorer on the girls basketball team.

On this night — and all fall — she has been all volleyball.

"That was the most intense game of volleyball I've played in my life,"Achesinski said. "Even when we were down 2-1 (in games), nobody was giving up.

"I can't recall ever wanting to win a game so badly."

Butler finished 11-4 when it last made the playoffs 10 years ago, losing in the first round of the playoffs.

Interest is up throughout the program.

"We have 70 girls and 48 boys in the junior high program alone,"said varsity boys volleyball coach Lew Liparulo, who coached the last Tornado girls team to reach postseason. "Varsity success is great because the younger kids come to watch them play.

"They see a standard being set. They know what to achieve."

Lucas graduated from Kiski Area High School and played volleyball there. Her team made the playoffs one time — her senior year.

She played volleyball at Clarion University, but never saw postseason play.

"That's why I wanted our girls to experience the playoffs this year,"Lucas said. "You can tell them about it, describe what's it like, but you have to experience it.

"People look at you differently in school. There's instant respect for the program and the players involved in it. And the intensity level goes way, way up."

Underclassmen on the team include juniors Willison (setter), middle hitter Grenet, right-side hitter Samantha Harris and utility player Ashlee Gallagher, sophomores Becky Smith (middle hitter), outside hitter Rachel Doutt and defensive specialist Stephanie Mock.

Schaper began playing volleyball in seventh grade, when Lucas was the junior high coach. Lucas is the only coach she's had.

"Our whole program has been working together for this,"Schaper said. "It finally came together."

Lucas gives a lot of credit to her senior captains. Butler was 5-11 last season, 2-8 in section play.

"They've stayed hungry for four years despite a lot of frustration,"the coach said. "They are true leaders."

Achesinski didn't start playing volleyball until her freshman year.

"The talent made the difference this year,"Achesinski said. "Katie has improved so much from last year to this year. The kids coming up behind us are really good.

"I'm glad we got in. It's going to be fun."

Here are the statistical leaders for the Butler girls volleyball team as it enters the WPIALplayoffs for the first time since 1996:• <B>Kills: </B>Amy Achesinski 154, Becky Smith 93• <B>Digs: </B>Yuki Schaper 169, Stephanie Mock 115, Samantha Harris 112• <B>Assists: </B>Katie Willison 273• <B>Blocks: </B>Becky Smith 50, Amy Achesinski 48• <B>Aces: </B>Amy Achesinski 35, Katie Willison 25, Samantha Harris 22